text:
Fast Food and Worn Tires
Tales from the road, recounted state by state...and now, country by country.
Ireland, Part 3: The Cliffs of Moher and the Dingle
The first three days of our Great Irish Road Trip included a tour of Dublin and two days wandering Galway. Mrs. Tires and I met Pia and Masha of Slovenia during our last night in Galway. They were headed in our direction the next day, so we offered them a ride.
Smiling despite the early hour and armed with cupcakes, Pia and Masha hopped in the back seat of our tiny rental car, and off we went towards the Irish countryside.
Our companions made for great company. They knew a lot about the surrounding area, and they were more than willing to act as our personal photographers at scenic stops along the way. We joked and laughed as we passed by Ireland's flatlands and swamps, which eventually gave way to more hilly and dramatic terrain.
Our drive brought us by the adorable Dunguaire Castle, a great place to snap a few photos and stretch our legs.
After about two hours of driving, we reached a town near the Cliffs of Moher, where we bid Pia and Masha farewell. The car was much quieter during the final stretch of the drive.
We arrived at the cliffs, where we were greeted by a huge, jam-packed parking lot. As it turned out, the cliffs are one of the most popular attractions in all of Ireland.
The Cliffs of Moher impressed right away. The huge cliffs combined to present a dynamic jagged edge to the shoreline. They were amazingly tall, with the tallest point more than 700 feet above the water. We spent most of our visit admiring the cliffs while we walked up and down the shoreline, and we enjoyed photographing them from different vantage points.
Eventually, we made our way to the O'Brien Observation Tower, which acted as a bookend on the other end of the public area that encompassed the cliffs.
We couldn't believe how close we could get to the edge. While we couldn't set foot on the cliffs themselves, the shoreline we walked along also stood quite high up. In the US, guardrails aplenty would prevent visitors from getting too close to the edge, but at the Cliffs of Moher, some comedic signage acted as the only safety precaution. If our experience disappointed, we easily could have ended our misery by jumping to our deaths.
On the way back to the visitor center, we stopped to listen to a harpist strumming for the pleasure of the visitors.
After a quick perusal of the exhibits and a snack in the expansive visitor center, we hopped back in the rental car and hit the road. We had our sights set on Cork, but we still had plenty of driving ahead to get there. That left us with a decision to make: drive right to Cork, or stretch our time on the road and head to the Dingle Peninsula? We knew the detour would make our already busy schedule that much more jam-packed, but after acknowledging that life is short, we decided to go for it. Off we drove to the Dingle.
After passing through Limerick (which is nicknamed Stab City), we made a bee line to the peninsula, which is known for its beautiful scenery, winding roads and beaches. When we reached the Dingle, we immediately fell in love with our surroundings. Rollings fields of various shades of green and yellow popped up at every turn, and the view changed frequently as we drove. The narrow roads were a thrill to navigate. We also ran into a few surprises along the way.
Inch Beach was a highlight, as it stood in sharp contrast to the surrounding fields. We stopped off to have a look, and the beach awed us with its beauty. Ireland isn't really known for its beaches, but this one was gorgeous, and its surroundings elevated it above the norm.
Eventually, we reached the town of Dingle, a quintessentially Irish town featuring beautifully colored buildings and loads of charm. We only had time to grab a quick bite, but we instantly connected with this lovable little town and fretted over not having more time to explore. The town of Dingle is now on the "Next Time" list.
We had some reassessing to do after dinner, with the hour getting late and lots of driving still ahead. The main roads of the Dingle Peninsula made up a mangled figure-eight, with the town of Dingle serving as the crossroads between the two rings. The western-most ring was called Slea Head Drive, and it housed the most impressive views on the peninsula. Sadly, we realized we didn't have time to make it around Slea Head, having already pushed our arrival time at the Cork B&B back twice. We continued on the east ring.
Our drive brought us through Conner Pass, a famously narrow road flanked by an exposed cliff face. This road supposedly accommodated traffic in both directions, but it seemed barely wide enough for our tiny car. Fortunately, we didn't encounter any cars driving in the opposite direction, though we did have to stop for an intimidating sheep making its way through the pass.
A quiet, contemplative mood took over the car as we concluded our cruise around the Dingle Peninsula. We smiled as we sat in silence, enjoying the setting sun while looking back on our day on the road, the highlight of our Great Irish Road Trip so far.
We had no regrets over our choices that day, but we definitely paid the price for our extra long journey. We left the peninsula as darkness set in, and we still had over two hours of driving before we would arrive in Cork. The roads we traveled were heavily wooded and not well lit, so driving became quite difficult, especially after fatigue set in. We white-knuckled our way through, but we weren't sure we'd ever make it. All the while we knew the owner of our B&B sat waiting for us, and we had to call two more times to push our arrival back some more.
We made it to Cork at about 1:00 AM and found Higgins B&B. Despite the late hour, Breeda, the B&B's owner, met us at the door and cheerfully showed us to our room. We hit the pillow that night and instantly fell into deep sleep. It had been an exhausting but wonderful ride, and there was more in store the next day.
Coming soon: Ireland, Part 4: Cork, Kinsale and Carragaline
Ireland, Part 1: Dublin
Ireland, Part 2: Galway
After kicking off our trip to Ireland with a day in Dublin, Mrs. Tires and I woke up the next morning ready to embark on our Great Irish Road Trip. The trek would take us to the other side of the country and back, starting with a stay in Galway. Excitement built up as we packed our things, but some trepidation crept in when we got our rental car. People drive on the left side of the road in Ireland, and the steering wheel is on the right-hand side of the car. That took some getting used to.
Palpable nerves floated in the air when we started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, but a few well-executed turns alleviated our fear…for a moment. As we entered a roundabout, inefficient signage (not driver error in any way, shape or form) sent us in the completely wrong direction, and before we knew it, we were off course and heading into no man's land. The mood in the car went into a tailspin, with all the anxiety bubbling up to the surface. After freaking out at each other for a few minutes, we stopped off at the nearest establishment to get directions. The world's kindest bartender gave us detailed instruction and assured us we'd live to tell the tale of this harrowing misstep.
Before long, we merged back onto the highway and were driving in the right direction. I adjusted quickly to the left side of the road and started enjoying the extra challenge the foreign setup put upon us. I initially hesitated to bring the car up to the speed limit of 120 km/h, but eventually I got more comfortable and started enjoying zipping along in our tiny automobile. Mrs. Tires later revealed to me she never rid herself of the nerves, but at that moment, all was well. We admired the beautiful countryside and ogled the strange signs as we drove.
Flipping through the Irish radio stations provided additional entertainment, and that's how we heard the song Blurred Lines for the first time. The song hadn't hit the US yet, but it played time and time again on the radio in Ireland, and we heard it about 50 more times on our journey.
After almost three hours of driving, we arrived at our destination, the seaside town of Galway. Intense traffic greeted us, but eventually we made it to the Salthill Hotel, a quaint yet ornate establishment conveniently located near the shoreline. We unpacked and unwound after our drive, and while doing so, I happened upon some literature about the nearby Salthill Promenade. As it turns out, kicking the wall at the end of the promenade was a time-honored Galway tradition. I kept looking for some sort of reason this ritual existed (such as bringing good luck, or punishing terrible wrongdoing the wall once committed) but found nothing. Nevertheless, I'm not one to buck a sacred ritual, so I convinced Mrs. Tires to get ready, and off we went to kick the wall.
The promenade impressed, with the ocean serving as the backdrop. A huge public diving board punctuated the shoreline, and people leaped off of it despite the chilly temperatures. Interesting characters acted as ornaments to the attraction.
At the end of the promenade sat an ordinary stone wall. We each gave the wall a good kick, and laughed heartily in the process.
From there, we stopped at a local donut shop for a treat, then took a long walk to the center of Galway. Downtown Galway centered around Quay street, and consisted of a series of narrow streets lined with pubs, shops and restaurants. We spent the rest of our day wandering around that area, checking out the shops and popping into intriguing pubs for a pint. The stroll provided plenty of charm, though it was a bit cramped, with narrow streets and lots of fellow tourists.
Our stroll eventually took us to the King's Head Pub, a restaurant, pub and music venue that managed to feel both cozy and cutting-edge. We started with a plate of oysters, and they instantly became a favorite of ours, partially because of the tangy sauce on the side. We slurped our last oysters just as the live band started playing downstairs, so we joined the excited crowd and rocked out. We were hoping for some traditional Irish music, but the contemporary rock band provided a welcome alternative. They played hard all night and kept the crowd dancing. The Kings Head also poured us our first pints of an oddly named pale ale - the Galway Hooker. This smooth and tasty beer's name drew inspiration from the hooker ships that frequented Galway. I amused myself to no end by approaching the bar and slyly stating, "Two hookers, please." After enjoying several hookers (never gets old!), we called it a night. The King's Head perfectly capped our first day in Galway.
In my opinion, no vacation is complete without some mini-golf. So when I saw a mini-golf course near our hotel, I knew it would be the perfect way to start our second day in Galway. After another stop at the delicious coffee and donut shop close by, we walked over to Leisureland for a game. It rained a bit while we played, but we had a great time regardless, and I won, which is always a bonus!
Rain continued to sprinkle down on us as we handed in our putters, so we took a bus into town to continue our exploration of Galway's main drag. On our way, we passed the village of Claddagh, home of the claddagh ring. Mrs. Tires loves her claddagh ring, so she was delighted to be near its origin. The sighting inspired us to seek out the Claddagh Ring Museum, located in Galway proper. I was surprised to hear of a whole museum dedicated to this type of ring, and it turned out my skepticism was justified. It was less a museum and more a ring store with a couple of display cases. We were in and out of there in less than five minutes.
Our wanderings continued, and we caught glimpses of the Spanish Arch and the Christ of King Church as we strolled. This worked up quite the appetite, so we moseyed on over to McDonagh's, a famous order-at-the-counter-style eatery that supposedly served some of the best seafood in Galway. You wouldn't know it from the fish and chips I ordered, which was passable at best. McDonagh's disappointed, and I can't recommend it.
We weren't deterred by the lackluster museum and the subpar food, and our spirits were lifted when we figured out how to work some traditional Irish music into our day. Tig Coili, a quaint little pub in the center of town, featured live music every day and served as a hangout for local musicians. Even in early afternoon, the place was packed. The setup was more casual than I expected, with the musicians sitting around a table instead of standing up on a stage. Nonetheless, the music was upbeat and pleasant, and we beamed as we listened to the gleeful singing and strumming. We also struck up a conversation with a kind family from the States, and we exchanged tales about driving around Ireland and all over the world.
We finished our pints at the end of the session and headed over to another well-known Galway establishment, the cleverly named Dew Drop Inn. This famous pub was small to the point of being cramped, and the crowd was decidedly older, so we downed a pint, snapped a photo, and moved on.
On and on we wandered. At one point, we stumbled upon the Oscar Wilde statue and the park that flanked the downtown area.
Mrs. Tries chats it up with Oscar and Eduard Wilde
Before we knew it, it was approaching nine o'clock, so we searched the town for a kitchen that was open late, and eventually we found a fancy wine bar called Martine's on Quay Street. We got an unexpectedly delicious meal, including a huge, juicy burger. While we sat at our outdoor table and looked back on our day, we came to the conclusion that we had sufficiently explored Galway and were ready to call it a night. While we enjoyed our time wandering Galway, it underwhelmed. We questioned what brought us there in the first place. While we were glad we made the trek, neither of us felt we'd have to go back, and we agreed that it wasn't an essential stop on the Great Irish Road Trip.
By all accounts, the bus should have been running at that time, but we waited at the bus stop for quite a while and there was no sign of it. A local about our age named Peter sat waiting for the bus as well. We commiserated on the bus' tardiness, then got to introducing ourselves and chatting away. As the prospect of a bus showing up faded into the evening, we decided to split a cab. During our cab ride, Peter invited us to meet up with his friends at a bar called O'Conner's Famous Pub. We gladly accepted.
We instantly fell in love with O'Conners. Its lively vibe was perfectly complimented by its decor, which consisted of wall-to-wall artifacts such as decked-out lamps, wooden barrels, wagon wheels, and many more eclectic objects. We especially loved the fishing nets with fake clam shells strewn from the ceiling. Our new friends were wonderful company. We met Pia and Masha, both of whom were from Slovenia. As we discussed our travel plans with them, we discovered Pia and Masha were going where we were going the next day. After ensuring our safety by looking them in the eye and asking them if they were serial killers, we agreed to give them a lift to the Cliffs of Moher. We drank and laughed late into the night.
We weren't sure whether Pia and Masha would actually join us the next morning, but, sure enough, they hopped into our rental car bright and early, accompanied by some cupcakes from Pia's bakery. Off we went to the Cliffs of Moher.
Coming Soon: Ireland, Part 3: The Cliffs of Moher and the Dingle Peninsula
Ireland's green fields, kind folks, and delicious beverages called to me ever since my visit to Northern Ireland in the early 2000s. So when Mrs. Tries expressed her desire to visit Ireland and retrace some of her ancestry, we pushed this country to the top of our travel wish list. We finally make the trek in the summer of 2013 as part of a trip that also brought us to Italy.
Planning a trip is half the fun, and I took my planning game to the next level when masterminding this vacation. Using a piece of paper to represent each day, I turned our kitchen cabinets into a giant calendar so we could post our findings as we researched our destinations. It helped us piece together our schedule, and kept the trip top-of-mind.
Once the pieces (of paper) fell into place, our Ireland itinerary included a day in Dublin, a couple of days in Galway, a day to check out the Cliffs of Moher, and a couple of days in Cork before returning to Dublin for one more night.
When July rolled around, it was time for our epic adventure. We headed to O'Hare airport with passports in hand and anticipation mounting. After a long but uneventful flight directly from Chicago to Dublin, we landed in Ireland tired, but excited.
We touched down on the Fourth of July, and much to our surprise, the Dublin airport was covered in decorations celebrating America's Independence Day. We had a laugh and a smile at this, as it was both totally absurd and oddly comforting.
We took a cab from the airport to our hotel, and immediately we were greeted by Ireland's signature friendliness. Our cab driver eagerly welcomed us and oriented us as we drove, pointing out things like a hotel owned by Bono of U2 fame.
We arrived at the Morrison Hotel, and immediately we were taken by its stylish yet cozy motif. In addition to providing a great place to stay, the Morrison was within walking distance of many of Dublin's most famous attractions.
We were so thrilled to be in Ireland, we skipped the nap we had planned, and hit the area surrounding our hotel to get the lay of the land. One place in particular caught our eye, the National Leprechaun Museum. We wondered how this place even existed, and with it located just a block from our hotel, we had to find out. As it turns out, the museum was an imaginarium of sorts featuring interactive exhibits and optical illusions. It was closed that day so we didn't get to inquire further, but it looked like a cool place.
From there we wandered over to the bridges that cross the River Liffey, which runs through the center of Dublin. There were many such bridges, several of which were intricately decorated.
Our trek took us past establishments old and new, from ancient churches to modern sculptures.
We could have wandered the streets for hours, but a highly anticipated destination called. Off we went to the Guinness Storehouse. It was a bit hard to find via GPS, but it was worth the confusion and then some when we got there.
I didn't expect much more than a souped-up version of a brewery tour. However, the Guinness Storefront offered much more than that. Essentially, it was a museum, a bar, and an adult playground, all rolled into one. In addition to requisite exhibits such as how the company started and how their beer was made, installations on Guinness' marketing, how the brand changed over time, its place in pop culture and more were housed within its walls.
It even had some trick photography built in, which sent our funny photo-loving hearts aflutter.
We also enjoyed learning how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness, a process far more intricate than need be, but more fun, too.
The museum experience concluded at the Gravity Bar on the top floor. This glass-enclosed bar offered sensational views of the city, and the taps provided fresh Guinness to visitors. Our pints tasted creamy and distinguished, and the flavor was crisper than the Guinness in the US. We smiled ear to ear while we sipped our Guinness and looked over all of Dublin.
After a quick trip to the gift shop (which featured more Guinness memorabilia than we ever could have imagined), we left buzzing with excitement. The Guinness Storefront turned out to be one of my favorite stops on the trip, and I whole-heartedly recommend it.
From there, we wandered back through Dublin, this time at a more leisurely pace. We enjoyed St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ's Church Cathedral from afar while we walked.
Christ's Church Cathedral
Wandering the grounds of Christ's Church Cathedral
We spent some time exploring the Chester Beatty Library, a free museum featuring ancient artwork and a tranquil rooftop garden. The type of art featured at the Chester Beatty Library was not my favorite, but nonetheless, we enjoyed our stroll through the exhibits. We also spent some time in Dubhlinn Garden, a circular park that sat between the library and Dublin Castle and provided an oasis from the surrounding city.
Dubhlinn Garden
Dublin Castle (part of it, anyway)
The gardens surrounding the area
Towards the end of the first full day of our trip, we found ourselves in a celebratory mood. Fortunately, one of Dublin's premier nightlife neighborhoods stood within stumbling distance of our hotel. The Temple Bar neighborhood contained bars, restaurants, theaters, and other cultural points of interest. We targeted one of Temple Bar's most famous bars - the Temple Bar Pub.
This classic Irish pub featured an iconic red exterior, live music, and a loyal following. The huge crowd that night meant we had to fight for a table, but the struggle was worth it. We enjoyed a plate of bangers and mash, a couple of rounds of delicious beer, and some sensational people watching. The back of the menu laid out the bar's history, and we were surprised to learn the establishment had a sister bar in Chicago. When we got back to Chicago, we realized the sister bar was catty-corner from our local grocery store.
With our meals finished and our glasses empty, fatigue finally caught up to us, and we confessed we were too darn tired to hit up the other bars in the area. We made one last trek across the River Liffey, and then crashed hard in our comfy hotel bed. We'd need a full night's sleep to tackle what lied ahead.
After a whirlwind trip around Ireland, we arrived back in Dublin a week later to spend one more night in the city. We didn't do much exploring that evening, but we had a blast checking out our hotel, the Clontarf Castle Hotel. This castle-turned-hotel straddled its past and present beautifully. Castle-themed decorations and props displayed throughout the hotel, which made for great photo ops. At the same time, the beds were comfy, the rooms were outfitted with wifi and plenty of outlets, and the restaurant included an outdoor patio and served delicious food. We spent a fun and relaxing evening there - the perfect ending to our time in Ireland.
What happened in between our two stops in Dublin? Stay tuned to find out!
Check out Ireland, Part 2: Galway
Stadium Chasing
Illinois, Part 1: Chicago
San Diego, Part 1: Downtown
Mexico, Part 2: Our Riviera Maya Beachfront Wedding
Washington, Part 2: Seattle
Illinois, Part 3: Matthiessen State Park
Mexico, Part 3: Our Tropical Honeymoon in Riviera Maya
52 Towns
59 National Parks
81 Games in the Friendly Confines
Barry & Stef's Travel Blog
Chuck And Lori
Five Dollar Traveller
Gone With The Wynns
Road Trip Blogger
Travelling Apples
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Tweets by @Adam_Rayman


NEW YORK—Actavis plc and Forest Laboratories Inc. have announced the signing of a definitive agreement by which Actavis will acquire Forest for approximately $25 billion, or $89.48 per share ($26.04 in cash and 0.3306 shares of Actavis stock for each share of Forest stock). The transaction price represents an approximately 25-percent premium over Forest's stock price, and a premium of approximately 31 percent over the company's 10-day volume weighted average stock price (as of the trading close on Feb. 14). Both companies' boards of directors have unanimously approved the transaction.
On a pro forma combined basis for full-year 2014, the resulting combined company is expected to see a central nervous system (CNS) franchise worth roughly $2 billion, gastroenterology and women's health franchises worth approximately $1 billion each, a cardiovascular franchise generating roughly $500 million and urology and dermatology/established brand franchises generating close to $500 million in sales each, annually. In addition, the combined company is forecast to see combined annual revenues of more than $15 billion in 2015, with the deal resulting in double-digit accretion in 2015 and 2016, including roughly $1 billion in operating and tax synergies to be realized within three years following the close of the transaction.
Combining Actavis' and Forest's U.S. sales forces will create an organization with strong marketing reach in a variety of market segments, and leading product franchises in the areas of central nervous system, gastroenterology, women's health, urology and cardiovascular therapeutics, with emerging portfolios in infectious disease, respiratory, cystic fibrosis and dermatology.
The deal includes an election mechanism by which Forest shareholders can choose all-stock or all-cash consideration, subject to proration in accordance with the merger terms. Following the deal's close, Forest shareholders will likely own about 35 percent of the combined company on a pro forma basis. Bisaro will lead the combined organization, with three members of Forest's board of directors joining the Actavis board.
"The combination of Forest with Actavis creates a specialty company with annual sales of approximately $15 billion, a diversified portfolio and a geographically balanced business," Brent Saunders, president and CEO of Forest, commented in a statement. "This compelling combination gives us more optionality to drive future growth and sustainable shareholder value due to our expanded geographic and therapeutic presence, ability to drive new product flow through R&D, strong balance sheet and consistent cash flow. The terms of the agreement provide Forest shareholders with cash and the opportunity to participate in the future growth of our new, stronger combined company.
The Actavis-Forest news follows right on the heels of another billion-dollar transaction involving Forest, as the company announced in January that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Aptalis, a specialty gastrointestinal and cystic fibrosis company, for $2.9 billion in cash from Aptalis' shareholders, including global private investment firm TPG. Aptalis maintains sales and marketing operations in the United States, Canada, France and Germany, with manufacturing operations in North America and Europe.
The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Forest's fiscal year 2015 non-GAAP EPS by 78 cents per share, add nearly $700 million to revenues in fiscal year 2015 and result in $125 million in synergies by fiscal year 2016. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of this year, and is subject to regulatory review and customary closing conditions.


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A Reality Check for Game Developers in the Arab World
Glen Dalakian II • 24 March, 2013
This week's Game Development panel at ArabNet touched on a few counterintuitive themes which, whether you agree with them or not, are useful for any game developer targeting or operating in the Arab world.
Panelists included Nour Khrais, the founder of Maysalward and Chairman of the Jordan Gaming Task Force, Mohamed Hamedi, the founder of Game Minion which was recently acquired by Corona Labs in Silicon Valley, and Eamonn Carey, EMEA/APAC Director at Kiip.
The panel was a bit one-sided, heavily focused on mobile, with a major discussion on global gaming rather than gaming in the Arab world, but there were a few highlights worth noting for the region.
Let us know if you agree.
1) Women are the primary audience. Despite the lack of women on the panel, the panelists repeated that any game that monetizes through in-app purchases or the premium model must consider women as a key audience. Data has shown that women play more mobile games than men, and are often more comfortable purchasing through the game, especially women over 30.
Hamedi explained that Kindle is a surprisingly large market for mature female gamers, and Carey added that on average, mothers spend 1 hour and 20 minutes per day playing mobile games, mostly with their kids. Don't count women gamers out in your marketing and development strategy.
2) If you build it, they likely won't come. Many game developers seem to think that their game is awesome without ever seeing if their target audience feels the same way. Don't assume that if you love your game others will too. The panelists agreed that simple, easy to master, and preferably cross-platform multiplayer games are the way to go.
One way to test your product is through a crowdfunding campaign; if people aren't willing to invest even small amounts in your idea, maybe you need to rethink your direction. "This way you get immediate feedback, it could be brutal, but it's better to make changes to make it right," added Hamedi.
3) Baby steps. The market still has a ways to go. I admit that I was disappointed that the chat was focused mostly on mobile games, as I much prefer console or PC games, but the reality may be that the region just isn't ready yet for more than mobile.
"We are still in the very early stage; we're still in kindergarten as gaming companies," said Khrais. But that doesn't mean game development startups don't want to build epic titles. "It's our dream," added Khrais, it's just not feasible for most startups in the current ecosystem with the amount of time, money, and resources these games take to make.
4) Beware of investors. We always see young startups say, "if only I could get x amount from investors, I can build my dream company," but the panelists all firmly believed that investment is often more harmful to small gaming startups than good. "Investors haven't bothered to learn what game developers want, they come in and give you a big vision when entrepreneurs need tactical advice," said Hamedi.
Offering some real-world examples, Khrais explained that when investors have a large vision without any technical knowhow, they can stifle your creativity and keep you from realizing your original goals. If possible, self-fund your game development.
5) Failure is good for you. More often than not, games fail. But don't let this reality deter you from pushing forward. Rather, realize that if you fail you're still on the right track. It pays to remember that Angry Birds was Rovio's 52nd title; they didn't hit it big right away.
Learn from the experience and start again. The panelists agreed that the couple of gaming startups that closed in Jordan were only natural and healthy for the ecosystem, rather than casting a shadow on the market. Such shutdowns "distribute the seeds of new startups and new entrepreneurs," as Hamedi put it.
6) International eyes are on Arab game development. Showing his nerdy credentials, Carey joked, "The eye of Sauron is on the MENA region." People are watching, waiting for a success story to unleash investment in the ecosystem.
Though there is still a ways to go in skill development, diversity of platforms, and truly standout games, it's only a matter of time before peaked interest turns into sustained relationships and a prosperous ecosystem. "When people see games become massively successful, they'll start to invest in them," he concluded.
Photo sourced from ArabNet's Facebook page.
Author: Glen Dalakian II
Arabnet
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Revision as of 03:06, 26 August 2007 by Nareklm (talk | contribs) (→See also)
Caucasian Albania (or 'Arran' as it is described In Arab sources) was destroyed by the Arab conquests of the seventh century; the territory of the present-day Republic of Azerbaijan roughly corresponds to the ancient Caucasian Albania. Twenty six languages were spoken in Albania and it had its own kings.
Caucasian Albania became Christianized at approximately the same time as was Armenia; Movses Dasxuranc'i places this event in the reign of King Urnayr in the mid-4th century CE, and states that St. Gregory, founder of the Armenian national church, was responsible for the monarch's baptism. The Monophysite Albanian church remained separate from the Armenian one till the end of the 7th century CE, when the two were united under stimulus from the Arabs. Until well into medieval Islamic times, Muslims must have been only a minority in Arran; Moqaddasi, p. 376, writing towards the end of the 4th/10th century, describes the Christians as still a majority in the towns of Qabala and Šabaran (near Quba). In the Byzantino-Sasanian wars, the Albanian kings sometimes had to supply contingents for the imperial Iranian army, and Urnayr participated with Shapur II in the siege of Amed in 359, but more generally they combined with their fellow-Christian Armenian princes in resisting Persian expansion into Transcaucasia and Armenia, at times even paying tribute to the Byzantines.
The "Albanians" Buniatov was referring to have nothing with the nation in the Balkans. This was the name the Romans gave to a Caucasus people when they first made incursions into the Caucasus in the first century B.C. When Buniatov began to popularize the subject in the 1960s, the Caucasian Albanians were a long-forgotten ancient people. The scholar consensus was that they were a Christian people or group of peoples who had mainly inhabited what is now the north of Azerbaijan.
http://caucasianalbania.blogspot.com/
Retrieved from "http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Caucasian_Albania&oldid=27505"
Armenian History


Posted on Dec 29, 2017 at 6:00 a.m.
I love ice. Molded by cold and wind, it takes on the most whimsical shapes and patterns. On a recent hike, I walked to a frozen beaver pond and spotted one of those "dark stars" in the ice. It opened my eyes to others and before long, I was a little kid with a magnifying glass. While beautiful in their own right, each pattern crystallizes for a reason. Puzzling out the "how" of what I saw was just as enjoyable as the sight. Beguiled by ice, I didn't leave the pond until almost sunset. On the walk back I lost the path in the deep twilight of a cedar swamp and had to circle back. I found my way again and finally got out of the woods at nightfall.


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import numpy, math
from math import *

class LM_Fitter:

    def __init__(self, variables, exp_data, callback, change_vars=None, name=None):
        """Initialise the fitter with a list of variables
        The get_difference function must be overwritten in the derived class
        with a function that calculates the difference to be minimized in the fit
        when given two sets of variable dictionaries"""

        self.variables = variables
        if not change_vars:
            self.setChangeVars()
        else:
            self.change_vars=change_vars

        # Store the rest of the data
        self.equation = ''
        self.exp_data=exp_data
        self.callback_function=callback
        self.name = name
        self.residuals = numpy.array(0,float)
        self.stop_fit=None
        self.singular_matrix = 0
        return

    def setVars(self, fdata):
        """Set variable values from fitdata"""
        self.variables=[]
        for i in self.varnames:
            if i in fdata:
                self.variables.append(fdata[i])
        return

    def setChangeVars(self, changevars=None):
        """Change vars is a mask array of 1's and 0's that specifies which
            variables should be fitted if change_vars[varnum] is None,
            then it is not optimised """

        if self.variables==None: return
        self.change_vars=[]
        if changevars == None:
            self.change_vars=[True for v in self.variables]
        else:
            i=0
            for var in self.variables:
                if changevars[i] == 1:
                    self.change_vars.append(True)
                else:
                    self.change_vars.append(False)
                i+=1
        return

    def evaluate(self, x):
        """Evaluate the model at x with the current variables"""
        return self.get_value(self.variables, x)

    def guess_start(self):
        """Guess start vals for this model - optional overrride"""
        return

    def getEquation(self):
        """Return a text form of the model - optional override"""
        return self.equation

    def getName(self):
        """Return model name"""
        return self.name

    def getVariables(self):
        """Get variables"""
        return self.variables

    def getError(self):
        """Return the current error"""
        diff = self.get_difference(self.variables)
        return diff

    def getpercSqDiff(self):
        """Normalised sum of differences for comparison"""
        diff = self.get_difference(self.variables)
        y = tuple(zip(*self.exp_data))[1]
        yrange = max(y) - min(y)
        percsqdiff = diff/yrange
        #print len(y), yrange, diff, percsqdiff
        return percsqdiff

    def getVarNames(self):
        """Get variable names"""
        return self.varnames

    def getFitDict(self):
        """Return the fitted variables formatted in a dict"""
        fitdict={}
        names = self.varnames; vrs = self.variables
        i=0
        for i in range(len(names)):
            fitdict[names[i]] = vrs[i]
            i+=1
        #print 'getfitdict',fitdict
        return fitdict

    def getFitLine(self, xdata):
        """Get fit data for Fitter object over range xdata"""
        e=[]
        for i in xdata: e.append(i)
        fity=[]
        #inc = (max(e)-min(e))/50
        #xx = numpy.arange(min(e)-inc, max(e)+inc, inc).tolist()
        for i in xdata:
            fity.append(self.evaluate(i))
        return fity

    def getResult(self):
        """Return the fit results for printing"""
        fd = self.getFitDict()
        fd['error'] = self.getError()
        fd['model'] = self.name
        fd['rmse'] = self.getRMSE()
        fd['rmsr'] = self.getRMSR()
        return fd

    def printResult(self):
        """Return the fit results for printing"""
        res=self.getResult()
        for v in res.keys():
            result+= v +':'+ "%E" %fd[v] +' '
        return result

    def get_difference(self,function_variables,return_values=None):
        """Calculate r2 (R-squared)"""
        diff=0.0
        fit_values=[]
        for datapoint_num in range(len(self.exp_data)):
            datapoint=self.exp_data[datapoint_num]
            exp_value=datapoint[-1]
            #fit_value=self.get_value(self.variables,datapoint)
            fit_value=self.get_value(function_variables,datapoint)
            diff=diff+math.pow(exp_value-fit_value,2)
            fit_values.append([datapoint,fit_value])

        if return_values:
            return diff,fit_values
        else:
            return diff

    def getRMSE(self):
        """Return root mean squared error"""
        errs=[]
        for i in range(len(self.exp_data)):
            datapoint=self.exp_data[i]
            exp=datapoint[-1]
            fit=self.get_value(self.variables,datapoint)
            errs.append(math.pow(exp-fit,2))
        rmse = math.sqrt(numpy.mean(errs))
        return rmse

    def getRMSR(self):
        """Reduced chi squared for fit"""
        v = len(self.exp_data) - len(self.varnames) - 1
        if v<=0:
            v=len(self.exp_data)
        if v<1:
            v=len(self.variables)
        x = math.sqrt(self.get_difference(self.variables)/v)
        return x

    def AIC(self):
        """Computes the Akaike Information Criterion.
           see http://adorio-research.org/wordpress/?p=1932

           RSS-residual sum of squares of the fitting errors.
           k  - number of fitted parameters.
           n  - number of observations.
        """
        RSS = self.getRMSE()
        k = len(self.variables)
        n = len(self.exp_data)
        AIC = 2 * k + n * (log(2 * pi * RSS/n) + 1)
        return AIC

    def get_value(self,function_variables,data_point):
        """To be overridden
        Function should return the value of the function with function_variables at data point
        """
        raise Exception,'You must override this class'

    def callback(self,difference,variables,count,fitter):
        if self.callback_function:

            # Calculate the current fit
            diff,fit_values=self.get_difference(variables,return_values=True)
            #print 'Calling callback function',self.callback_function
            self.callback_function(difference, variables, fit_values, count, fitter)
        return

    def callback_scipy(self,variables):
        if not hasattr(self,'count'):
            self.count=0
        self.count=self.count+1
        if self.callback_function:
            diff,fit_values=self.get_difference(variables,return_values=True)
            self.callback_function(diff,variables,fit_values)
        #print variables
        return

    def simplex_fit(self):
        """Use the Scipy simple algorithm to minimize R^2"""
        try:
            import scipy.optimize
        except:
            return False,[]
        #print self.variables
        #solution=scipy.optimize.fmin(self.get_difference,self.variables,callback=self.callback_scipy)
        #print 'Simple solution',solution
        solution=scipy.optimize.fmin(self.get_difference,self.variables,callback=self.callback_scipy)
        return True,solution

    def fit(self, rounds=500, error_crit=0.00005, gradient_crit = 1e-6, step=1E-8,
                LM_damper = 0.00001, damper_adjustment_factor = 2.0, silent=False):
        """Do 500 rounds of fitting, or until converged"""
        if silent == False:
            print 'Fitting..'
            print 'start vars:', self.variables
        # Set damper
        self.step=step
        self.LM_damper = LM_damper

        # Try to set error_crit using exp_data range

        if error_crit == None:
            #get y vals
            y=[]
            for i in self.exp_data:
                y.append(i[1])
            yrange = max(y) - min(y)
            error_crit = yrange/1e6
            print 'setting error_crit:', error_crit

        # Start iterating
        old_diff=self.get_difference(self.variables)
        status = 'MI'
        count=0
        #print 'Step    Diff   LM_damper'
        for x in range(1,rounds):
            self.fit_LM()
            # check for singluar matrix
            if self.singular_matrix == 1:
                status = 'Stopped - singular matrix'
                if silent == False:
                    print 'Stopped (Singular matrix)'
                break

            now_diff=self.get_difference(self.variables)
            count+=1
            self.callback(difference=now_diff,variables=self.variables,count=count,fitter=self)

            # Check convergence
            s = ''
            if now_diff < old_diff:
                s = 'step accepted'
                self.LM_damper = self.LM_damper / damper_adjustment_factor
                old_diff=now_diff
            else:
                s = 'cancelling'
                self.cancel_step()
                self.LM_damper = self.LM_damper * damper_adjustment_factor

            #print '%5d  %6.4f  %6.4e' %(x, now_diff, self.LM_damper), self.variables, s

            # check error criterium
            #print 'Diff: %5.3e, error_crit: %5.3e,| gradient: %5.3e, grad_crit: %5.3e' %(now_diff,error_crit,self.error_gradient,gradient_crit)
            if abs(now_diff)<=error_crit:
                status = 'Converged - error criterium'
                if silent == False:
                    print 'Converged. (Error criterium) Sum of differences: %7.2e' %(now_diff)
                break

            # check gradient criterium
            if self.error_gradient <= gradient_crit:
                status = 'Stopped - gradient criterium'
                if silent == False:
                    print 'Stopped (Gradient criterium) Error gradient: %7.2e' %(self.error_gradient)
                break

            # check for singluar matrix
            if self.singular_matrix == 1:
                status = 'Stopped - singular matrix'
                if silent == False:
                    print 'Stopped (Singular matrix)'
                break

            # Were we told to stop?
            if self.stop_fit==1:
                break
        return status,self.variables

    def fit_LM(self,silent=0):
        """Do Levenberg-Marquardt fitting"""

        J,E =self.get_jacobian()
        self.residuals = E

        JT = numpy.transpose(J)
        JTE = numpy.dot(JT,E)

        JTJ = numpy.dot(JT,J)
        JTJd = JTJ + self.LM_damper*numpy.identity(numpy.shape(JTJ)[0])

        count=0
        while abs(numpy.linalg.det(JTJd)) == 0:
            ## Determinant is zero => matrix is singular, try to fix this by adding the damper again
            #print 'SINGULAR MATRIX - Adding damper again'
            #print numpy.linalg.det(JTJd)
            JTJd = JTJd + self.LM_damper*numpy.identity(numpy.shape(JTJ)[0])
            count=count+1
            if count>100:
                self.singular_matrix = 1
                return

        invJTJd = numpy.linalg.inv(JTJd)
        self.q = -numpy.dot(JTE,invJTJd)
        for varnum in range(len(self.variables)):
            if self.change_vars[varnum]:
                self.variables[varnum]=self.variables[varnum]+self.q[varnum]
        self.error_gradient = numpy.linalg.norm(JTE)
        return

    def cancel_step(self):
        """Cancel a step"""
        for varnum in range(len(self.variables)):
            if self.change_vars[varnum]:
                self.variables[varnum]=self.variables[varnum]-self.q[varnum]
        return

    def get_jacobian(self,silent=0):
        """Get the Jacobian matrix and errors of the data points"""

        # Get the number of data points
        no_data_points = len(self.exp_data)

        errors = numpy.resize(numpy.array(0,float),[no_data_points])
        jacobian = numpy.resize(numpy.array(0,float),[no_data_points,len(self.variables)])

        # calculate the variation of all parameters
        variations=[]
        step =self.step
        for var in range(len(self.variables)):
            if self.change_vars[var]:
                self.variables[var]=self.variables[var]+step
            variations.append(self.variables[:])
            if self.change_vars[var]:
                self.variables[var]=self.variables[var]-step

        # construct jacobian
        data_id=0
        for datapoint_num in range(len(self.exp_data)):
            if datapoint_num%100==0:
                pass
            data_point = self.exp_data[datapoint_num]
            # The value to fit is always the last one
            exp_value=float(data_point[-1])
            errors[datapoint_num] = exp_value-self.get_value(self.variables,data_point)

            # Find the derivative for this variable for this data point
            diff=numpy.resize(numpy.array(0,float),[len(self.variables)])
            count=0
            for variation in variations:
                diff[count]=(self.get_value(self.variables,data_point)-
                             self.get_value(variation,data_point))/step
                count=count+1
            jacobian[data_id]=diff
            data_id=data_id+1

        return jacobian,errors

    def doStatistics(self):
        residualsT = numpy.transpose(self.residuals)
        m = len(self.exp_data)
        n = len(self.variables)
        diagonal = numpy.diag(numpy.resize(numpy.array(1.0,float),m))
        #print 'self.residuals',self.residuals
        covr = numpy.dot(residualsT, self.residuals)
        covr = numpy.dot(covr, diagonal)/(m-n)
        covr = numpy.diag(covr)

        print 'covr', covr
        #covr=resid'*resid/(m-n);  #               %covariance of residuals
        #Vy=1/(1-n/m)*covr;  % Eq. 7-13-22, Bard         %covariance of the data

        # get Jacobian at optimal parameter values
        J,E =self.get_jacobian()

        JT = numpy.transpose(J)
        JTdiagonal = numpy.dot(JT, diagonal)
        JTdiagonalJ = numpy.dot(JTdiagonal, J)

        residualsTdiagonal = numpy.dot(residualsT, diagonal)
        residualsTdiagonalresiduals = numpy.dot(residualsTdiagonal,self.residuals)
        Z = (m-n) *JTdiagonalJ/ (n*residualsTdiagonalresiduals)
        #print 'Z',Z
        #((m-n)*jac'*Qinv*jac)/(n*resid'*Qinv*resid);
        return

class myfitter(LM_Fitter):
    """This is an example of a fitter that fits to a y=ax+b
    Construct a class like this for each function you want to fit"""
    def __init__(self,variables,exp_data):
        LM_Fitter.__init__(self,variables,exp_data,self.callback)
        return

    def get_value(self,function_variables,data_point):
        value=function_variables[0]*data_point[0]+function_variables[1] #a*x+b
        return value

    def callback(self,difference,variables,count):
        #print 'I am called and called and called'
        #print 'variables',variables
        return

class difficult(LM_Fitter):
    def __init__(self,variables,exp_data):
        LM_Fitter.__init__(self,variables,exp_data,self.callback)
        return

    def get_value(self,function_variables,data_point):
        import math
        value = math.sin(function_variables[0] * data_point[0]) + math.cos(function_variables[1] * data_point[0]) ##sin(3*x) + cos(0.5*x)
        return value

    def callback(self,difference,variables,count,fitter):
        #print 'I am called and called and called'
        #print 'variables',variables
        return

if __name__=='__main__':
    """Test of LM_Fitter class"""

    exp_data=[[0,1],[0.5,1.966],[0.8,1.5965],[1,1.0187],[1.8,-0.15115],[2.6,1.266]]
    X=difficult(variables=[1.8,1.],exp_data=exp_data)
    #X=myfitter(variables=[2,1],exp_data=exp_data) ##sin(3*x) + cos(0.5*x)

    status,variables=X.fit(rounds = 10000, error_crit = 0.000001, LM_damper =1.0,
                            damper_adjustment_factor = 1.0, step = 1e-8)
    print
    print 'Done. Status',status
    print 'Fitted variables',variables
    X.doStatistics()
    #print X.getRMSE()
    #print X.AIC()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Policy Brief – Candidates for the Post of UN Secretary General: Where do they stand on human rights?
"The URG is pleased to publish today a human rights-based assessment of the candidates competing to fill the post of UN Secretary-General. The new policy brief 'Candidates for the post of UN Secretary-General: where do they stand on human rights?' presents an overview of the selection and appointment procedures of the UN Secretary-General, as well as a summary of each candidate's experience, commitments, and pledges/vision in the area of human rights. Because human rights is one of the three pillars of the UN system, it is vital that States take this information into account while selecting the best individual for this vital post."
"The role of the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) is crucial for the fulfilment of this organisation's objectives and purposes. The Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer of the UN and, as such, holds the responsibility of administrating all the UN programmes and agencies, performing all the functions entrusted by the different UN bodies, and bringing to the attention of the Security Council those issues that may represent a threat to international peace and security. According to the website of the current Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, 'equal parts diplomat and advocate, civil servant and CEO, the Secretary-General is a symbol of United Nations ideals and a spokesperson for the interests of the world's peoples, in particular the poor and vulnerable among them.'
The UN Secretary-General is expected to promote the fulfilment of the UN's objectives across all of its three main pillars, namely peace and security, development, and human rights. Accordingly, on the last pillar mentioned, the Secretary-General should ensure that the UN fulfils its promise, as per the Charter, to 'promot[e] and encourag[e] respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all'.
In late July 2016, the Security Council will begin deliberations on the candidates to be the next UN Secretary-General. According to article 97 of the UN Charter, the leading candidate will then be 'appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.' The Security Council's deliberations are held in private and any decision is subject to veto by the five permanent members.
The appointment procedure of the UN Secretary-General has been the focus of regular criticism due to its lack of transparency and inclusivity, especially in the context of such an important post. Over recent years, dissatisfaction has coalesced around a campaign known as '1 for 7 billion,' which has called for a more open, transparent, and meritocratic selection process. Together with parallel initiatives, such as reports and draft resolutions generated by the UN Ad-Hoc Working Group on 'the revitalisation of the work of the General Assembly,' the '1 for 7 billion' campaign became a 'driving force' behind moves at the UN to reform the Secretary-General selection process."
Visit the Universal Rights Group website and download the full report.
The IMF, the WTO & the Politics of Economic Surveillance July 10, 2019
Weiss, Thomas G.


text:
package org.uberfire.ext.editor.commons.service.support;

import org.uberfire.backend.vfs.Path;

public interface SupportsRead<T> {

    T load(final Path path);
}


text:
import os
import os.path
import sys

class SimpleHtmlFilelistGenerator:
    # start from this directory
    base_dir = None

    def __init__(self, dir):
        self.base_dir = dir

    def print_html_header(self):
        print """<!DOCTYPE html>

""",

    def print_html_footer(self):
        home = 'https://pythonadventures.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/static-html-filelist-generator/'
        name = 'Static HTML Filelist Generator'
        print ''
        href = "%s" % (home, name)
        print "
This page was generated with Jabba Laci's %s.
" % href
        print """

""",

    def processDirectory ( self, args, dirname, filenames ):
        print '', dirname + '/', '', '
'
        for filename in sorted(filenames):
            rel_path = os.path.join(dirname, filename)
            if rel_path in [sys.argv[0], './index.html']:
                continue   # exclude this generator script and the generated index.html
            if os.path.isfile(rel_path):
                href = "%s" % (rel_path, filename)
                print ' ' * 4, href, '
'

    def start(self):
        self.print_html_header()
        os.path.walk( self.base_dir, self.processDirectory, None )
        self.print_html_footer()

# class SimpleHtmlFilelistGenerator

if __name__ == "__main__":
    base_dir = '.'
    if len(sys.argv) > 1:
        base_dir = sys.argv[1]
    gen = SimpleHtmlFilelistGenerator(base_dir)
    gen.start()


Jacob Ditschler, proprietor of saloon; born in Germany June 21, 1845.
Engaged in cigarmaking until the fall of 1878, when he engaged in saloon business. Oct. 8, 1861, he enlisted in Co. B, 1st Wisconsin Mounted Infantry; he served as Corporal; was in all engagements his regiment participated in; served three years.
He was married, May 26, 1870, to Augusta Schmidt; she was born in Prussia; they have four children – Anton, Clara, Edward and Ferdinand.
Mr. Ditschler is a member of the Concordia Musical Society, also of the Harugari.
Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.


text:
HARRAH'S LOUISIANA DOWNS ANNOUNCES POLICY ON HORSES SHIPPING FROM OKLAHOMA
November 25, 2019 louisianathoroughbred
Bossier City, LA – Due to the outbreak of EHV-1 in Oklahoma City, Harrah's Louisiana Downs will not allow horses from Remington Park or Will Rogers Downs to access its grounds. This decision was made on Friday, November 21 and will be in effect until further notice.
As widely reported, cases of Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) were confirmed at Remington Park beginning on November 12. Currently, there is no live racing at Harrah's Louisiana Downs, but the Bossier City racetrack serves as a training center for horsemen in between race meets. This was introduced in November, 2018 following the closure of the Evangeline Training Center.
"In order to protect our current horse population, we felt it was necessary to issue this policy," said Eric Halstrom, Harrah's Louisiana Downs Vice President of Operations. " Should horsemen have any question regarding this change in policy those inquiries should be directed to Louisiana Downs' Director of Racing, David Heitzmann, or Stall Superintendent, Natalie Ardoin."
The 2020 Harrah's Louisiana Downs Quarter Horse meet will commence on Saturday, January 4.
Currently, the racetrack is open for training six days a week with full amenities including a clocker, outrider and ambulance service. Security in the stable area is provided 24 hours a day, seven days each week. Located in the Bossier City-Shreveport metroplex, Harrah's Louisiana Downs is located in convenient proximity for shipping to Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana; Fair Grounds in New Orleans and the upcoming live season at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Space and availability for Thoroughbreds is limited and is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Horsemen are encouraged to contact David Heitzmann, Harrah's Louisiana Downs Director of Racing at (318) 741-2511 or (318) 741-2512 for rates and information.
DELTA DOWNS ISSUES BAN ON HORSES FROM REMINGTON PARK FOLLOWING EHV-1 TEST POSITIVES
– TEMPORARY ACTION TAKEN TO PROTECT LOCAL HORSE COLONY –
VINTON, LA. – Due to recent positive tests for Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) at Remington Park in Oklahoma, Delta Downs has issued a temporary ban on horses stabled at that racetrack from entering its stable area. This action is being taken to ensure the health and safety of Delta Downs horse population and will serve the best interest of local horsemen. The ban will be in effect until further notice.
For more information about racing at Delta Downs visit the track's website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information through Facebook by visiting the page 'Delta Downs Racing'. The track's Twitter handle is @deltaracing.
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.
Six Scholarships to be Awarded on College Day and Louisiana Champions Day at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans
New Orleans, La. – The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will award six scholarships each valued at $1,000. Four scholarships will be awarded during College Day on Saturday, December 7. Two more scholarships will be awarded at Louisiana Champions Day on Saturday, December 14. Both events will take place at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La.
The requirements for the scholarship are as follows:
Must be a college student enrolled full-time for Spring 2020.
Must be in good standing with the college or university.
Must be present to win at the Winner's Circle when the announcement is made.
Must have college ID and government-issued ID.
For College Day, December 7:
Registration: 1:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. at the designated booth
Races begin: 3:00 p.m.
Drawing Time: The scholarships will be awarded after the fifth race. The scholarship will be deposited directly into the student's account at the college or university. The student is asked to know the name and address of the college that they are attending.
For Louisiana Champions Day, December 14:
Registration: 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. at the designated booth
Races begin: 12:00 p.m.
"The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association continues to make an investment in the future of our state by investing in our students and their education," said Roger Heitzmann, secretary/treasurer for the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association. "This type of investment is for our future, the state, as well as the organization. Our hope is that these scholarships get the younger generations interested in thoroughbred racehorses so that our organization stays the top breeding incentive program in the United States."
Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association manages one of the best incentive programs for breeding thoroughbreds in the United States. Since the organization formed, this has led to increased purses, better quality horses, and increased interest in racing and breeding horses. The thoroughbred racing and breeding industry generate over $1 billion in economic impact and employs over 60,000 people in the state of Louisiana.
For more information about Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association visit louisianabred.com or call (504) 947-4676.
Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale Moved to April 3
The Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale will be held April 3, 2020, at Lone Star Park. The date was originally set for March 31 but has been pushed back to better fit with the national sales schedule and with the start of the Lone Star Park Thoroughbred meet. The breeze show will be held April 1. Presented by the Texas Thoroughbred Association and Lone Star Park, the sale will also include a horses of racing age session.
"We've already seen some added interest from consignors and potential buyers now that purses are on the upswing in Texas thanks to recent legislation," said Tim Boyce, sales director. "Sam Houston Race Park has announced a lucrative purse structure for their upcoming meet, and Lone Star Park is also expected to have larger purses this year. I expect there to be added demand for the Texas-breds in this sale now that buyers will have a chance to run for some nice money this summer, including the $100,000-estimated Texas Thoroughbred Futurity in two divisions for sale grads."
The entry deadline for the sale is January 15, 2020.
For more information, go to ttasales.com.
Into Mischief and Mitole Available to Quarter Horses
Breeding will be via artificial insemination handled by Robicheaux Ranch.
By Christine Oser
Spendthrift Farm has partnered with Robicheaux Ranch and will offer the opportunity for Quarter Horse mares to breed with leading Thoroughbred stallion Into Mischief and recent Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Mitole for the 2020 breeding season, it was announced Nov. 20. Quarter Horse mares will be bred via artificial insemination.
Between Spendthrift Farm owner B. Wayne Hughes looking for creative ideas and Ryan Robicheaux, manager of Robicheaux Ranch in Breaux Bridge, La., looking for an outcross, the venture interested both sides of the deal.
Read BloodHorse Article
Former Jockey Sellers Still 'In The Game' With New Farm Role
by Liane Crossley
Shane Sellers at Keeneland, 1996
Former jockey Shane Sellers' daily routine is far different than his previous lifestyle, yet he's only 15 miles from Keeneland where he had some of his most successful moments on the track.
In a career that closed in 2013 after 30 years, counting a five-year premature retirement, Sellers won 4,393 races. His mounts, including Hall of Famer Skip Away, earned more than $130 million. Since his final race, Sellers has found his stride in farm life. He is content in his role as a key crew member at Safari North, the former Pauls Mill that was purchased in 2018 by his girlfriend, Susan Moulton. The picturesque facility has mares, foals, yearlings and racetrack lay-ups for a total of about 50 horses. The property also houses a few retired racers that Sellers and Moulton ride.
Read Paulick Report Article
MARIAH'S GALAXY WINS THE TREASURE CHEST AT DELTA DOWNS
November 18, 2019 November 18, 2019 louisianathoroughbred
LOUISIANA-BRED ALSO WON THE MAGNOLIA STAKES ON OPENING WEEKEND
Maria's Galaxy defeats open company in the $100,000 Treasure Chest Stakes at Delta Downs.
The Treasure Chest Stakes
Delta Downs, 11-15-19, One mile
Three-year-olds and upwards, fillies and mares, $100,000
MARIAH'S GALAXY
Greeley's Galaxy–Black Mariah
Breeder: Margie K. Averett (LA)
Owner: Riley Blanchet and Todd Matte
Trainer: Victor Arceneaux
Jockey: Kevin J. Smith
She's Our Fastest
Oratory–Dawali
Breeder: Eureka Thoroughbred Farm (TX)
Owner: Mark Norman and Norman Stables LLC
Trainer: Scott Gelner
Jockey: Thomas L. Pompell
Flat Out–Langsyne
Breeder: J. Adcock (LA)
Owner: Coteau Grove Farms LLC
Trainer: W. Bret Calhoun
Jockey: Roberto Morales
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted the 14th running of the $100,000 Treasure Chest Stakes on Friday night and the winner was Mariah's Galaxy under jockey Kevin Smith. The Victor Arceneaux trainee has now won two stakes races already this season as she also took the $100,000 Magnolia on opening weekend, October 11.
Mariah's Galaxy's task in the Treasure Chest appeared to be tougher one as she was facing open company this time after beating Louisiana-breds in the Magnolia. She passed the test with flying colors however as she sat back in the 10-horse field while Summer's Indy set the early pace of 23.01 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 47.40 for the half. As the field entered the final turn of the one mile event Smith called on his mount and she responded with a determined rally that put her 1-1/2 lengths in front of Shes Our Fastest at the wire while Special Blessing rallied for third, another four lengths behind the top pair. Summer's Indy faded to fourth.
The final time for Mariah's Galaxy over a fast track in the Treasure Chest was 1:39.51
The win by Mariah's Galaxy, who is owned by Riley Blanchet and Todd Matte, was the ninth of her 24-race career. She banked another $60,000 for her win on Friday and now boasts a lifetime bankroll of $302,485.
Bred in Louisiana by Margie K. Averett, Mariah's Galaxy is a 5-year-old mare by Greeley's Galaxy, out of the Devil His Due mare Black Mariah.
Sent to the gate at odds of 5-1, Mariah's Galaxy paid $12 to win, $5.20 to place and $4 to show. Shes Our Fastest was worth $11.20 to place and $7 to show. Special Blessing paid $4.80 to show.
For more information about racing at Delta Downs visit the track's website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information about through Facebook by visiting the page 'Delta Downs Racing'. The track's Twitter handle is @deltaracing.
Desormeaux Returns to Louisiana to Ride at Fair Grounds
The 49-year-old rider leaves California, his longtime base.
By Byron King
Cajun-born Kent Desormeaux, who began his Hall of Fame career as a jockey at the unsanctioned "bush tracks" of Louisiana on his way to riding more than 6,000 winners, has returned home to Louisiana to ride full time at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots this winter.
Frustrated by reduced opportunities in California, where he has predominantly ridden since 2014, Desormeaux sought a change in circuits. He is experiencing one of his quietest years as a jockey, with 34 winners from 269 mounts and earnings of $2.4 million. He last rode at Del Mar Nov. 10, winning with one of his two mounts that afternoon.
Horse Tests Positive for EHV-1 at Remington Park
The barn's quarantine is currently set for 14 days.
By BloodHorse Staff
A horse stabled at Remington Park has been confirmed by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry as testing positive for Equine Herpesvirus-1. As of Nov. 15, the affected barn has been placed under quarantine.
"ODAFF was informed last night of a positive EHV-1 test sample from a horse at Remington Park," said Dr. Michael Herrin, ODAFF assistant state veterinarian. "This horse was euthanized Tuesday evening, and the barn it was housed in is currently under quarantine."
Clinical signs for EHV-1 in horses vary to include fever, incoordination, and weakness or paralysis of the hind limbs. Additionally, this disease can cause rhinopneumonitis, a respiratory disease usually found in young horses, and abortion in broodmares. A small percentage of horses infected with the non-neuropathogenic strain of EHV-1 can develop neurological signs consistent with Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy.
Donna Brothers: PETA Is A Bully
by Donna Brothers | 11.14.2019 | 5:13pm
Donna Brothers having a special moment with Zenyatta
I can no longer remain silent about my love for horses and for horse racing for fear of backlash from PETA and other extremist organizations that claim to be looking out for our horses' welfare. PETA's modus operandi is to scream louder than the people and industries they attack, but unfortunately, while they promote themselves as a savior of horses, a closer look into their practices suggests otherwise. I have read through numerous lawsuits against them, I've looked up their kill-rates, and I've read about their revenue allocations. PETA is pro-PETA, not pro-animals, and they are behaving like a bully.
PETA VS THE HORSE-LOVER
In PETA's Statement on Companion Animals, they state their belief that even dogs and cats (domesticated for thousands of years alongside our horses) should be free of all human interaction. In other words, PETA is on a mission whose end-game is to eventually halt the natural bond between man and animal that has led them to co-exist since before written record! Organized horse racing has been a part of our United States family culture since at least 1667. Long before the invention of baseball, basketball, football—pretty much any current sport you can think of— people were enjoying a variety of equestrian sports with their beloved horses. Horses have also seen man into civilization; helped them win battles at war; carried man across continents; plowed their fields (including the grain, hay and bedding these horses needed to survive through hard winters), led hunts and so much more for thousands of years. Yes, horses have taken care of man—but man has taken care of them too.
People haven't domesticated horses, dogs and cats, they've domesticated themselves. At some point along the evolutionary chain these once wild animals realized that living near and around homo sapiens could benefit them. As they got closer and closer to our bi-pedal species their food sources became more reliable and their living conditions became less volatile. And so these relationships have grown over the years and we've become closer to our animals and them to us. And now, after thousands of years of evolutionary development of these mutually beneficial interactions, PETA marches in insisting that this is all wrong? Well I beg to differ.
I have been involved with and loved horses since my earliest memories. My mother rode horses with me in her womb and I have no memory of when I rode my first horse: I've just always ridden. I don't just love horses, I live and breathe them and owe everything I have to them. In fact, I've been taking care of horses—and they've been taking care of me—for my entire life. I do not and will not apologize for my love of the horse or of horse racing.
FERAL HORSES VS DOMESTICATED HORSES
The thing about horses is that they're going to run, play, jump, frolic and race across vast fields with or without us. What makes us love them is that they are gracious enough to let us go along for the ride. And, yes, sometimes horses are fatally injured alone in a field—or on the track—while doing this. It will break my heart every single time, but I know with all that I am, that they love their humans and their sport as much as we love them and this sport that allows us to interact with them in a deeply meaningful and fulfilling way.
INJURY AND OTHER CAUSES OF DEATH
The causes of death for a horse are many. Colic is the number one cause of death in domestic horses though infectious diseases, metabolic diseases, bone and tissue degeneration, and acute trauma (including fractures) also ranks high. But, in terms of evolution, fracture injury is the natural mechanism by which most horses' lives terminate, and our studies of feral and other wild horses show that this remains the number one reason for elimination of wild horses from the herd.
Though musculoskeletal injury to a horse during racing is an aberration, it is a gut wrenching event for everyone. Horses are made to run. Horses love to run. But history shows us that running naturally ends the majority of horses' lives when left to their own devices. In fact, humans don't force horses into vulnerability, it is just the opposite. Much of what humans know about the care of horses, from our advances in modern medicine, our understanding of biomechanics and training, and our advances in nutrition and therapeutic protocols, is owed to private funding from the thoroughbred racing industry. We reduce the likelihood of terminal skeletal injury, and we're getting better at it all the time. That said, we cannot totally eliminate the evolutionary destiny of horses left to their own accord anymore than we can eradicate all diseases and fractures in man.
PETA BEHIND THE SCENES
As for PETA. Please. All one has to do is Google "people against PETA" to find website after website, article after article of the atrocities that PETA has committed upon domesticated animals and the families that own them. Yes, if they have their way we will never race horses again, nor will we be able to ride them in any fashion. No show jumping, no dressage, no hunters, no endurance, no pleasure and no trail riding…all of it banned, eventually. To PETA, this isn't about racing.
PETA is against people interacting with animals. Sound extreme? I didn't make this up; it's in their Statement on Companion Animals! PETA believes that harboring a domesticated animal of any kind (most of which are unable to survive in the wild) is a cruel form of animal slavery. This is extreme, and yet PETA takes it one step further: PETA believes that domesticated animals are better, not simply set free, but euthanized straight away in the event that they contract an infectious disease or get hit by a moving vehicle. Illness or injury is not PETA's only standard for euthanasia. Dozens of articles can be found online of PETA's active mission to not just euthanize the sick and injured, but perfectly healthy dogs, cats, kittens and puppies. This calls into question their ability to follow not only their own publicized standards for euthanasia, but the legal standards they must follow to continue operating their shelter in Virginia.
Nathan J. Winogard, graduate of Stanford Law School, animal rights consultant and executive director of the national No Kill Advocacy Center estimates here, that PETA's effective kill rate for cats in 2018 came in at 99% when taking into account the agreements they have with shelters to euthanize the animals PETA delivers to them.
According to this 2015 article from the Washington Post, PETA's kill rate for 2014 was 81%, with a kill rate in some years exceeding 90%. By comparison, that same article states that the average kill rate at other Virginia shelters came in at less than 25%.
In the linked article by Adele Douglass, the Executive Director of the nonprofit, Humane Farm Animal Care states that following an official investigation to determine if PETA's shelter license could be revoked in the state of Virginia, Dr. Daniel Kovich, an investigator for Virginia Department of Agriculture issued the following: "The findings of this site visit support the assertion that PETA does not operate a facility that meets the statutory definition of an animal shelter as the primary purpose is not to find permanent adoptive homes for animals." PETA's lawyer responded to VDACS arguing that a legal technicality protected their status as an animal shelter." [emphasis added]
In an article by Julie Scheidegger for DVM Magazine, she offers this compelling quote from AKC Chairman, Alan Kalter, "While most shelters strive for a 90% re-homing rate, PETA is apparently proud of their 99% killing rate and callously boasts that the animals it rescues are 'better off dead.' That is an alarming ratio that should be fully investigated. PETA's track record is absolutely unacceptable,"
"I would go to work early, before anyone got there, and I would just kill the animals myself…I must have killed a thousand of them, sometimes dozens every day." Ingrid Newkirk, founder and president of PETA,
This is a quote by Newkirk from a 2003 interview with Michael Specter, for The New Yorker. In this same article, Newkirk shuns even the use of guide dogs and had admitted to taking a seeing-eye dog away from the dog's blind owner.
Do you want an organization such as this, protecting your beloved companions?
I understand the knee jerk reaction when a horse suffers a catastrophic injury – when ANY living being suffers a catastrophic injury. When something so heartbreaking happens, I often think this hurts too much to bear. It sounds silly to those who don't follow horse racing, but these horses aren't just our friends. We work with them day in and day out. Our entire life revolves around their care and they become family. We cheer for them and fear for them. We hope for them, we laugh with them, and we even cry for them. The loss of even one of our horses can make me wonder if the angry voices are right.
PETA: A REALITY CHECK
And that's when I have to take a deep breath, leave emotion and impetuous judgements behind, spurn Pollyannaish aspirations, and come back to reality. Statistics can be difficult to ignore whether they support your cause or impugn it. Compared to approximately 55 training or racing fatalities per month in the U.S. (1.86 per 1,000 starts), there are nearly 3,300 human deaths per month due to automobile accidents.
With these approximately 55 horse fatalities spread throughout all U.S. tracks, it is truly a rare occurrence to witness one. It is also rare to actually see a dead person on the side of the road, and yet a person is 60 times more likely to die when they get in a car than a racehorse is to die when exercising. Witnessing even one catastrophic vehicular accident can scar a person for life, and yet we continue to make the decision to buckle our children into car seats or seat belts on a daily basis.
RESPONSIBLE MEDIA REPORTING
It turns out that it is actually safer to race our horses than it is to drive our children on the roads, but if we leave the story-telling of this subject to extremist groups such as PETA and sensationalist media sources seeking to exploit anyone's suffering, anyone's loss, any negative tidbit that can be found in order to increase their ratings, views, clicks and hits, then those who know very little about horse racing would be led to believe the loudest voice: extremist organizations like PETA and known, sensationalist news outlets that in the end, are also deeply profiting from this gambit.
Irresponsible media reporting is not the fault of the public. They're simply watching news they have been told they can trust, and then reacting instinctively. Any psychologist will also tell you that we humans are emotional creatures that are prone to category errors and dreadfully poor at understanding and calculating risk. As an example, consider all of the people you know who are deathly afraid of spiders and/or snakes in spite of the fact that, in the United States, you have about a one in 50 million chance of dying from a snake bite. And since the dawn of modern anti-venom, death from spider is almost nonexistent. Even in Australia, a place known to have some of the most venomous spiders in the world, there have been no reported deaths related to spider bites since 1979.
Like all sport horses (from warmbloods to Arabians and beyond), our Thoroughbred racehorses are athletes. Just like human athletes, our equine athletes suffer injury in both competition and training. Many of these injuries are repairable given sufficient time off, however, broken bones are often catastrophic and fatal because horses do not understand that they need to keep weight off of a leg in order for it to heal and they are biologically designed to stand and graze. In some (though not all) cases, the humane option is euthanasia. In the wild, a broken bone ensures the horse suffers until being found and eaten by a predator.
I've seen numerous competition, training and pasture accidents (including breaks) in our other competitive equestrian sports as well. The two major differences are that one, every competition isn't captured on camera as it is in organized horse racing and, two, there is not as much money involved with many of these other disciplines and so the visibility and reporting also isn't there.
One of the arguments against racing that I've heard is that people can accept injuries in human athletes since they choose to compete, but race horses are forced to race—it's not their choice. Any horseman reading this can confirm that this is not even possible!
I once was told a story about a very reluctant horse tasked to a European cavalry officer from World War II that had had the opportunity to ride/train many horses and was himself a former Olympic team member. This had been the most difficult case he had ever had and it was with a beautiful warmblood with tremendous ability that would not move forward once tacked. He and multiple other trainers at the royal academy had attempted to resolve this problem but without success, even though these were some of the most elite riders in the world (and yes, non-injurious force was attempted)! Do you know who won? The horse, and it was turned out to pasture. A rare but telling example of just how strong (and strong-minded!) these beautiful animals that we call both friend and companion are.
If a horse does not want to race there is no amount of persuasion that will change that horse's mind. I've seen horses that don't want to race—and we don't race them! Not every thoroughbred is born with racing on their mind but the vast majority of them are, just like not every horse bred to be an eventer, wants to event, and likewise with dressage and every other discipline in which a team effort must occur. Our horses that race, love to race, and we love to watch them—even help them—achieve their best form.
A GOOD TASK FOR PETA
Look, if PETA really wants to clean up their act and become the self-professed savior of animals that they call themselves, they should start with putting their efforts toward banning puppy mills. Right now, with regard to dogs, the majority of PETA's efforts are going toward simply euthanizing every stray dog that comes into one of their so called "shelters", including well-loved (but lost) family pets being euthanized within hours of intake and without being allowed a waiting period for their owners to find them.
According to the Humane Society's website there are upwards of 10,000 puppy mills churning out dogs every day—many of which will either never see the light of day or will eventually end up on the street, in a shelter, and then eventually euthanized by organizations like PETA.
In fact, the Humane Society states that more than 194,000 dogs "are kept solely for breeding in USDA-licensed facilities. Sadly, a license is not a guarantee of a breeder's quality." Nor is buying from a licensed facility any kind of a guarantee about a dog's life. Some of their "breeding stock" never see the light of day and are kept in tiny and filthy pens and crates. Inbreeding is rampant and deformities and other life limiting and life threatening illnesses abound due to extreme neglect. And yet, two million puppies are sold each year from these puppy mills.
I have dogs—two of them. Both are rescues and one came from the Humane Society. I couldn't imagine buying a "designer dog" when there are so many wonderful dogs in need of a good home and, yet; PETA wants to pick on us? Why is that? Perhaps because that's where the money is and PETA likes their bottom line. It's nasty business going into a puppy mill. Have you ever seen one? Google it.
STATISTICS ON PETA, SELF PROFESSED "SAVIOR" OF ANIMALS
Using public records gathered from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, over the last 21 years, PETA's kill rate comes in at an astounding average of 85%. PETA's average rate of adoption over the last 21 years tallies in at 7%. According to numerous reports I've read on this, including this affidavit from a former PETA employee that states animals were routinely euthanized in a PETA van before they even arrived back at the shelter, most of PETA's intakes are not at the shelter for more than 24-48 hours before being euthanized.
According to the Center for Organized Research and Education (CORE), an organization that tracks nonprofit activities: "Over a ten year period, PETA spent four times as much on criminals and their legal defense than it has on shelters, spay-neuter programs, and other efforts that actually help animals." PETA's direct involvement and financial support of criminal organizations such as SHAC, ALF and ELF is not a secret – these are organizations that the FBI conservatively estimates (according to the article) as having caused more than $43 million in damages with a list that includes breaking into the private homes of (and assaulting) scientists, planting car bombs, cutting brake lines of food delivery trucks, planting fire bombs in restaurants, razing university labs, and the list goes on.
My stomach churns with writing this, and the deeper I dug into my investigation, the more insanity I uncovered. PETA doesn't "do" constructive discussion, and they certainly don't "do" reform. Until all animals are "liberated" from humans, the trail of death and destruction they leave behind wont abate—even when that liberation means "freedom" via a twisted definition of euthanasia that PETA delivers even to perfectly healthy and happy animals.
But it doesn't end there. As I read through endless lawsuits (those initiated by PETA and those brought against PETA), the media surrounding one in particular stood out. PETA went so far as to sue Whole Foods (a national natural foods market) for charging more money for meats that were raised the most humanely vs. those that were simply antibiotic-free and hormone-free. Here's an article from the Humane Society's blog defending Whole Foods.
Quite frankly, I'm vegetarian but I'm not an extremist. I don't expect everyone to stop eating meat just because I did five years ago. I shop at Whole Foods, and consider them to fall into a class of non-government organizations (NGOs) that are actively having those tough conversations, and trying new things like their food certifications and their donations to food banks on both a global and local level. These are the types of activities that lead to community-wide change, conservation, humane treatment efforts, and education, and they're not alone. They're one of the leaders in this charge by being the change they wish to see.
PETA should be dealt with in the way that bullies are best disempowered—and no, not by ignoring them! PETA is the type of bully that will not simply go away. The only way to nullify their influence is to be a brighter light, a better influence. To spread the word about how we do love our horses and we do care for them.
MY CALL TO ACTION – PLEASE HELP RACING. WE ARE CUSTODIANS OF THE THOROUGHBRED RACEHORSE!
Sharing stories and photos of newborn foals; yearlings playing in a field; a groom and/or exercise rider lying in the stall with their beloved race horse; off-track Thoroughbreds in a new discipline; a jockey hugging a horse around his neck as they are entering the winner's circle…across the country, every single one of us who is a horseman, a horse lover and an advocate for the horse, has photos and stories to tell of how important horses are to them, and how important they are to their horse's lives as well!
Please post images on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, any of your blogs and other social media outlets of your choice! Show us when you were a child and riding your first horse—or your favorite horse! Sharing stories about how you fell in love with horses and horse racing! If you need ideas, please go to "Juanita Webb" on Facebook (she'll be the Juanita Webb pictured with a horse—of course) and read her post from Oct. 11, 2019. Or, visit "We Are Horse Racing" on Facebook to see lots of stories, each with a photo, about how people fell in love with horse racing. Susie Raisher's (Daily Racing Form) photo below is a beautiful example.
This is not a time to stand silently and idly by while we watch a bully on their pulpit: the compliant, cynical and fatalistic media and the extremist groups that help them line their pockets. In many cases the media outlets are simply uninformed and, yes, this is to some extent their own fault. However, PETA is handing them a story to tell. What sort of stories are we offering? This is the time to wear your heart on your sleeve. It's long been respected on the racetrack to keep your emotions in check and stay mum about the people, horses, dogs, and cats that mean the most to you. This is not the time for stoicism—but rather, for activism. Are you with me?
(I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Larry Bramlage and Euki Binns for their help in validating research and statistical information for this article, and to @JennyPhoto for the supporting pictures.)


The saying that 'nature is the mother of all inventions' is not without reason. HLA antigens are inherited as a set from each of the parents. A mother nurtures a baby in her womb for 9 months without rejecting it even though the paternal HLA antigens inherited by the baby should cause a rejection. This is nature's example of development of tolerance and thus, a child and the mother are natural donors for each other in most cases even though they are only half matched in their HLA antigens. Based on the pioneering work by doctors from Italy, BMT from a half matched (Haploidentical) donor from the family was developed.
There are six private and two state-owned BMT centres in Delhi and NCR and one might query intuitively as to 'why another one?'. To answer this we need to look at the Indian scenario in the field of BMT. It is estimated that over 30,000 patients per year in our country need a BMT to save their lives and the statistics from Indian Stem Cell Transplant Registry reveals that with over 40 centres across the country, only about 1000 transplants are performed annually. So is our venture just to add a few numbers to the mammoth need of our population? If all the centres performed 4 transplants per month which we are sure they are capable of, the need would be largely met. Then why is that not happening? The answer lies in the fact that BMT is dependent on availability of HLA matched donors from the family. However, this is available to only 20% of the patients by simple law of inheritance. Yet, Europe, USA and Japan meet their needs largely through Volunteer Unrelated Donor Registries which currently boast of 20 million donors. In India, such registries are in their infancy and the chance of finding a match from the foreign registries is less than 10%. More importantly the cost of procuring the blood or marrow products from Europe or USA ranges from 10,000-30,000 USD. Similar transplants can be performed from unrelated cord blood units at a similar cost, but the procedure is more challenging. Everyone has a donor and we are showing the way! In a country where alternate donor BMT is rarely available for patients lacking a matched family donor, Haploidentical BMT seems to be a logical option. However, the lack of expertise and infrastructure halted its development. Dr. Suparno Chakrabarti and Dr. Sarita Jaiswal pioneered the first Haploidentical BMT program in India. Their work and research has been widely presented and published in the last two years. Having performed over 20 such transplants, they wanted to develop this procedure further. Dr. Sarita Jaiswal trained under Prof. Franco Aversa from Italy, who is the pioneer of Haploidentical BMT. Prof Aversa and others have developed a completely new approach to Haploidentical BMT using Clinimacs based depletion of TCRalfabeta and CD19 cells from the stem cell product, which has drastically reduced the rate of complications and mortality experienced earlier. This is a labour intensive technology and carrying out such transplants without the right expertise or infrastructure can be disastrous. The experience at University of Parma under Prof Aversa amazed Dr Sarita as to how well such transplants can be carried out with the right expertise if a supportive infrastructure is provided.
Jaiswal S et al.Contrasting Patterns of Alloreactivity Amongst Malignant and Nonmalignant Diseases Receiving Haploidentical PBSC GRAFT and Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide. (Poster no 473). 2013 BMT tandem meeting.
Jaiswal S et al. Persistently High GAM Levels Are Associated with Nonrelapse Mortality in HCT Recipients Irrespective of Invasive Aspergillosis: A Prospective Cohort Study. (Poster no 305). 2013 BMT tandem meeting.
Jaiswal S et al. Second Haploidentical PBSC Transplantation From the Same Donor After Early Relapse without Gvhd in Patients with Acute Leukemia. (Poster no 474). 2013 BMT tandem meeting.
Jaiswal S et al. Is Haploidentical Family Donor Transplantation The Best Form Of Alternative Donor HCT In Developing Countries? BTG 2013, Hongkong.
Jaiswal S. Is Haploidentical Family Donor Transplantation The Best Form Of Alternative Donor HCT In Developing Countries? (ORAL PRESENTATION) ESH EBMT TRAINING COURSE ON HCT, ITALY, APRIL 2013.
Jaiswal S. NK Alloreactive Donor Is Associated With Reduced Relapse In Refractory AML But High Nonrelpase Mortality In Patients With Aplastic Anemia Following T-Replete Haploidentical PBSCT With Post Transplant. 18th Congress of EHA, 2013.
Jaiswal S et al. Comparable Outcome Of Haploidentical And Matched Sibling Donor Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation For High Risk Aplastic Anemia. 1st International Workup on Haploidentical Transplantation, 2013.
Jaiswal S et al. Comparable Outcome Of Haploidentical And Matched Sibling Donor Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation Following Myeloablative Conditioning For Poor Risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia. 1st International Workup on Haploidentical Transplantation, 2013.
Jaiswal S. Natural Killer Cells: A New Weapon in The Armamentarium. National Cancer Congress, 2014, DHRC, Delhi, 2014.
Jaiswal S et al. Outcome Of Haploidentical PBSC Transplantation For High Risk Aplastic Anemia With Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Is Similar To Matched Sibling PBSCT And Depends On Choice Of Donors: Adverse Effect Of Natural Killer Cell Alloreactivity. 40th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation: April 2014 .Milan, Italy.


Meetings are planned Thursday between the British government and the opposition Labour Party in an urgent search for a compromise solution to the country's departure from the European Union.
"The important thing now is that in any extension that we get from the European Union, we have an absolute clarity that as soon as we've done the deal, we are able to bring that extension to an end", finance minister Philip Hammond told ITV.
May's decision to enter Brexit negotiations with the Labour leader prompted a furious public backlash by many Tory MPs and has led to two ministerial resignations so far.
We believe if we achieve these Labour gains now, we will be able to claim great credit for achieving a Deal that can bring Remain and Leave voters together. Any deal would then be presented to the EU at a summit next week with the aim of leaving on May 22 and avoiding European parliamentary elections.
Grassroots party members as well as a number of politicians have called for May to be replaced with some warning her actions will "destroy the Conservative Party".
Alastair Campbell, who has campaigned for a second referendum on any Brexit deal, has said that the Labour leader is aware that talks with Theresa May are "an obvious trap".
Both leaders promised to enter the talks with open minds, although Downing Street ruled out revoking Article 50 and therefore stopping Brexit.
May said "we need to focus on... our future relationship with the EU".
Though many staunch "remainers", including Corbyn, supported Brexit in the subsequent general election, many of them advocate for a "soft Brexit" which would keep the United Kingdom within the European customs union and require continued free travel between member states.
The BBC published a chart Thursday from the Institute for Government showing more ministers have resigned from May's government than any prime minister since 1979. Its passage through the House of Lords on Thursday - where there is a clear pro-EU majority - is likely to be less fraught than in the Commons, where Brexiteers reacted with anger at its narrow passage.


text:
Q: Why Ubuntu uses eglibc instead of glibc? I checked for the libc version on my Ubuntu 64bit 12.10 machine by issuing the command ldd --version.
I saw that Ubuntu uses eglibc instead of glibc. As egiblc is for embedded machines, Is there a specific reason why Ubuntu uses it instead of the standard glibc.

A: Except they have now switched back:
Since the beginning of 2014, the official homepage states that EGLIBC is no longer being developed, since its "goals are now being addressed directly in GLIBC", and Debian has switched back to glibc[4] for the Debian 8.0 (Jessie) release. -- Wikipedia

A: Ubuntu is based on debian. This is an abridgment of Wikipedia:

On 6 May 2009, it was announced that Debian would move from the GNU C
  Library to EGLIBC, citing problems with the development process of
  glibc. Debian and several of its derivatives now ship EGLIBC
  instead of glibc. EGLIBC is free software licensed under the GNU LGPL.

These are the reasons (form Debian is switching to EGLIBC):

The EGLIBC is a variant of the GLIBC which stays source and binary
  compatible with the original GLIBC. While primarily targeted for
  embedded architectures, it has some really nice points:

*

*More friendly upstream (especially with regard to embedded    architectures): "Encourage cooperation, communication, civility, and
  respect among developers" (as opposed to this).

*Stable branch with fixes for important bugs (a real one, not like the GLIBC one which is left unchanged).

*Better support for embedded architectures.

*Support for different shells (GLIBC only supports bash).

*Support for building with -Os.

*Configurable components (do we really need NIS or RPC support in debian-installer?).

*Better testsuite for optimized or biarch packages.

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