text:
Immigration and Its Impact on the Economy
By Lahaina Araneta, Esq.
During the presidential election campaign, Donald Trump made several promises, including restructuring the immigration process to limit the number of immigrants entering the country, deporting undocumented immigrants, and building a border wall with Mexico.
Recently, the country saw the longest federal government shutdown, lasting 35 days, because of a impasse over President Trump's demand for over $5 billion to build a U.S.–Mexico border wall. His agenda is clearly to curb immigration and increase deportation, in any way, symbolic or not.
Presently, 15% of the total U.S. population is foreign born, according to the United Nations. Immigration is a much debated topic and there are different political opinions about the effects of immigration on a nation's economy, though to an extent, it is considered that immigration causes a net economic benefit to the country.
The impact of immigration on U.S. economy:
About 50 million immigrants live in the United States making it the country with the most number of immigrants.
An International Monetary Fund report says that a one percentage increase in the country's migrant population equals a two percent increase in GDP per person. This happens because of the added migrants' skills to the current pool of talent, thereby increasing productivity and also because of the increase in number of migrants in the workforce as that is the general age group that most migrants fall into.
Two thirds of U.S.'s economic growth since 2011 has been directly attributed to migration. Immigrants are more likely to start businesses and companies, be responsible for innovations and patents, win awards and prizes. Immigrants tend to be more entrepreneurial.
30% of American businesses are started by immigrants.
40% of Fortune 500 companies were started by immigrants.
50% of start ups, valued at over $1 billion, are started by immigrants.
Each such startup employs around 1,200 people.
Low skilled immigrants also contribute to productivity. Though they may have a language barrier that leads to difficulty in integration in the community, they are still able to contribute to the economy through employment in industries that don't require a whole lot of communication skills. Like them, a majority of the illegal immigrants seek employment in industries that don't require a lot of language or communication skills.
The agriculture industry depends to a large extent on undocumented immigrant labor. In fact, more than half of hired farm workers are unauthorized immigrants.
Lower wages do affect the already present immigration population and the native population, but it's argued that most native workers don't want to take up such jobs. Lower wages indirectly help the economy because it means the employers can fare better and grow thereby contributing to the economy. And a growing economy means more opportunities in the skilled job market for native borns who have better English knowledge and communication skills.
The U.S. is one of the countries that spends the least for food, and lower wages for farmers means that food costs also go down.
Though first generation immigrants cost the government more than native borns, the second generation, once they become adults, contribute more to the economy, more than their parents and the others in terms of taxes.
Initially many quickly believe that immigration is detrimental, but the statistics hold true - it is a benefit to us all.
Need Counsel for Immigration? Call Today.
Immigration law can be complicated and immigration issues can be extremely complex, and a single misstep could potentially lead to a rejection of your application or other immigration penalties. If you have any questions regarding immigration or deportation, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
Call our law firm for a consultation today at: (949) 478-4936.


Hari Rao's comedy draws upon 42 years of life experience to highlight the peculiarities of everyday living that we simply accept as given, as well as dissecting his own personal experiences that can best be described as ""are you being serious?"". His adventure in comedy began in 2016 but his experience in entertainment spans two decades as a recording artist, a reoccurring theme in his comedy (his band's song "Rewind" can be heard as the theme song to the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs). Hari has opened for comedy club favorites such as Andy Woodhull and Dwayne Kennedy, and can be seen performing regularly in the Chicago area, including Zanies Comedy Club and the Laugh Factory.
John Gasper is a Chicago based Stand up that hails from Philadelphia. John is also a therapist but he doesn't want to talk about that unless you do, are you okay?
Golds is a Chicago-based, synth-driven pop duo, crafting anthemic yet catchy pop melodies, while blending them with emotional and vulnerable lyrics. As a lot of their tunes are filled with slick new-age bass and synth riffs, largely inspired by 80s and 90s pop, other songs consist of heart wrenching melodies and large choruses.


text:
Q: Why are the Bounding Boxes from Tesseract not aligned on the image text? I'm using the tesseract R package to recognize text within an image file. However, when plotting the bounding box for a word, the coordinates don't seem to be right.

*

*Why is the bounding box for the word "This" not aligned with the text "This" in the image?

*Is there an easier way to plot all bounding box rectangles on the image?

library(tesseract)
library(magick)
library(tidyverse)

text <- tesseract::ocr_data("http://jeroen.github.io/images/testocr.png")
image <- image_read("http://jeroen.github.io/images/testocr.png")

text <- text %>%
  separate(bbox, c("x1", "y1", "x2", "y2"), ",") %>%
  mutate(
    x1 = as.numeric(x1),
    y1 = as.numeric(y1),
    x2 = as.numeric(x2),
    y2 = as.numeric(y2)
  )

plot(image)
rect(
  xleft = text$x1[1],
  ybottom = text$y1[1],
  xright = text$x2[1],
  ytop = text$y2[1])

A: This is simply because the x, y co-ordinates of images are counted from the top left, whereas rect counts from the bottom left. The image is 480 pixels tall, so we can do:
plot(image)
rect(
  xleft = text$x1[1],
  ybottom = 480 - text$y1[1],
  xright = text$x2[1],
  ytop = 480 - text$y2[1])

Or, to show this generalizes:
plot(image)

rect(
  xleft = text$x1,
  ybottom = magick::image_info(image)$height - text$y1,
  xright = text$x2,
  ytop = magick::image_info(image)$height - text$y2,
  border = sample(128, nrow(text)))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Proving to be a popular gift choice this year, Canon's high-end EOS 5D Mark IV is currently $300 off this week at Adorama and B&H Photo with a variety of free accessories. Both camera retailers will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside NY and NJ —and overnight shipping is free to contiguous U.S. addresses for delivery by Christmas. Great for photographers and an excellent tool to pair with the iMac Pro, these Canon cameras offer users an abundance of features at reduced, holiday prices.
Looking for deals on Macs, iPads or drones? Check out our holiday guide for a roundup of the best deals on computers and gadgets with free next day delivery.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Body for $3,199.00 @Adorama !
! Camera qualifies for no interest if paid in full within 12 months using the Adorama Credit Card.
Discounts on Nikon cameras are also in effect this week with savings of up to $1,000 off at B&H and Adorama. Like the Canon models listed above, the Nikon cameras and kits shown below qualify for free overnight shipping with no tax on orders shipped outside NY and NJ. In total, many shoppers outside those two states can save $63 to $160 compared to buying from a big box retailer.
Nikon D750 DSLR Camera (Body Only) for $1,496.95 @Adorama !
Those looking to get a Sony DSLR camera before Christmas can also take advantage of free next day delivery on a variety of cameras, from the Alpha a68 all the way up to the a99 II. Sales tax will not be collected on orders shipped outside NY and NJ at both B&H and Adorama, saving many shoppers $55 to $255 compared to shopping at a big box retailer.
Sony Alpha a99 II DSLR Camera (Body Only) for $3,198.00 @Adorama !


text:
President Trump Challenges Biden To a Boxing Match — Yes, For Real
I bet many, many Americans would pay good money to see a boxing match between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
It wouldn't even be a fair match, with Biden showing extreme signs of mental decline. Not to mention, he can barely get up a flight of stairs.
Former President Donald Trump said Thursday that his easiest boxing fight would be against President Joe Biden who would "go down very, very quickly."
Trump called into a press event for a boxing match between 44-year-old Vitor Belfort and 58-year-old Evander Holyfield, where he was asked to name a person against whom he would step in the ring Saturday and describe how that fight would play out.
TRUMP: "If I had to box somebody, I think probably my easiest fight would be Joe Biden. I think he would go down very, very quickly. Very, very quickly…I think Biden would go down in the first few seconds."
pic.twitter.com/uYDX9vnPx5
— The Bias (@thebias_news) September 10, 2021
God forbid anyone have a sense of humor anymore. Twitter libtards erupted after the clip of Trump's phone call surfaced. Meanwhile, it was apparent to everyone in the audience that Trump was kidding.
But no one expects liberals to understand humor. They're far too busy being woke, murdering unborn babies, and taking down statues.
Those in attendance at the press conference burst into laughter after the former president's comment.
Trump then recalled an instance where Joe Biden relived his childhood trauma in public, claiming he would beat up the Former President if they were still in high school.
"I'd take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him"-Joe Biden on Trump.
There's some real dignity right there, @JoeBiden pic.twitter.com/NcAMsQZYEG
— Joy Villa (@Joy_Villa) November 26, 2020
Joe Biden isn't beating anyone up, nor has he ever gotten into a fight in his life. He is lucky some nice bully let him out of the locker in high school so he could eventually become the nightmarish politician he is today.
"No, I think Biden would go down within the first few seconds," the former president added.
Trump and his son Don Jr. are expected to commentate the Holyfield vs. Belfort bout this Saturday.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


so when i got home I came spent a while looking around the site and thought why not..
I saw your web address on the back of a Shogun / Pajero that I caught up with on the Wayfarer this Sunday. I dont know if it was an outting arranged on this forum. I should have stopped for a chat, but I was running rather late.
Vehicle: mk1 swb man paj x3!
i googled 'mk1 pajero for sale' and this was the first link.....and i've bought it, first one i looked at!
Gillett33 told me all about you!
Vehicle: Toyota Landcruiser Prado LJ78. Live in Farnborough and I'm a Saffa.
I was googling for a club/forum where I can find people with similar interests like me. Glad I found you. Looking forward to 5 Feb for "pay & play"
Vehicle: Bog standard Disco Td5, slowly becoming not bog standard - Deceased.
I don't remember voting in this when I signed up a year ago.
Anyway, I'm here to stay.
The voices made me do it!
ozzy57 wrote: I don't remember voting in this when I signed up a year ago.


Everyone is welcome at El Segundo Vapery, from novice vapers to long-time vape veterans. The local vape shop is owned and operated by enthusiastic vapers who enjoy sharing their experience and knowledge with customers, and are more than happy to help you find products that fit your vaping style. El Segundo Vapery stocks a range of vape devices and accessories as well as a large variety of high-quality vape juices in every flavor you could imagine. Visit the shop to grab your vape necessities, and find a few new-to-you favorites while you're here.


Tri-Plex Reg'd W Town.2 Driveways. Overlooks Bogart Creek At Rear. Totally Rebuilt To The Highest Standard W Top Quality Materials & Finishing. Stunning Interior! Wood Floors! Exposed Brick! Quartz Counters! S/S Appls! Pot Lights! Glass Showers! Floating Metal Loft Stairs W 2.5"Solid Oak Steps! See List Of Features Sheet Att'd. Walk To Southlake Hospital,Olde Main St.Shops,Restaurants,Fairy Lake & Rivewalk Commons. Mins To Go Stn & On Transit Route.
3 S/S Stoves, 3 S/S Fridges, 3 S/S B/I Dishwashers, 3 Sets Stacked Washer/Dryers, Elf's, 3 Miirrors, All Hard Wired Smoke & Co2 Detectors.


text:
Ragazzi al luna park / Mango, papaia è il 13° singolo della cantautrice Giuni Russo, pubblicato, nel mese di marzo del 1987, per la casa discografica Bubble Record.

Ragazzi al luna park
Ragazzi al luna park è la canzone pubblicata sul lato a del singolo tratto da Album.

Il testo fu scritto da Giuni Russo e da Maria Antonietta Sisini, mentre la musica, solo da Maria Antonietta Sisini.

Mango, papaia
Mango, papaia è la canzone pubblicata come lato b del singolo.

Il testo fu scritto da Giuni Russo, mentre la musica, da Maria Antonietta Sisini.

Tracce
Lato A
 Ragazzi al luna park – 4:10 (Giuni Russo – Maria Antonietta Sisini)

Lato B
 Mango, papaia – 3:37 (Giuni Russo – Maria Antonietta Sisini)

Crediti
 Produzione: Maria Antonietta Sisini e Tony Ruggero;
 Arrangiamenti: Roberto Colombo.

Collegamenti esterni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Home Disciplines Eventing Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST in the Lead after Cross-Country at the...
Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST in the Lead after Cross-Country at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event
Leslie Potter
Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST
Michael Jung (GER) and fischerRocana FST are back on top of the leaderboard after cross-country at the 2017 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. It's a familiar position for the pair, who won the competition in 2015 and 2016, but he didn't begin today thinking he had it in the bag for 2017.
"I felt in the warmup that fischerRocana was not feeling perfect with the weather," Jung said."That made me a bit nervous before the start, but then she jumped everything so powerfully. It was a good feeling. Some situations are not very clear for me and the horses, but we have a very good partnership and I think that's the most important thing in eventing: The rider knows the horse and the horse knows the rider and you trust each other."
Jung stood in second behind Clark Montgomery (USA) and Loughan Glen after dressage, but after two refusals on course, Montgomery dropped all the way to 34th position by the end of the day. Jung's closest competitors are two fellow Europeans.
Maxime Livio and Qaloa Des Mers
Maxime Livio (FRA) and Qalao Des Mers went clear and within the time today in their first-ever Rolex outing. This left them with just their dressage score, which at 44.6 is 5.9 penalties behind Jung.
"I am super happy with my horse," said Livio. "He started how he likes to start every time: Very fast and very strong. I tried not to fight much at the beginning and let him go. The horse was very happy and the conditions were very nice."
Livio added that while he had to make some changes from his original plan on the fly, his horse responded well and did everything he asked.
Zara Tindall and High Kingdom
Two points behind Livio is Zara Tindall (GBR) and High Kingdom, who were also among the few to complete with no time or jumping penalties today. Tindall has individual WEG gold and an Olympic team silver in her collection, but she has yet to complete Rolex; she came to compete in 2015 but had to withdraw High Kingdom due to a minor injury he sustained in the stall just before he was set to perform his dressage test. This year, so far, has gone much better.
"I had a great ride," said Tindall. "I was pretty happy to get through my dressage and the cross-country today; two years ago, I didn't do any of it. It was great to be out there. The ground was incredible. I was very happy for the rain last night. [High Kingdom] loves this phase. He was good in all the combinations and we did pretty much what we planned to do the whole way round."
Matthew Brown and Super Socks BCF
Another member of the double-clear club from today's cross-country is Matthew Brown with Super Socks BCF. They currently sit in fourth overall and are the top-placed American pair, putting them in contention for the USET Foundation Pinnacle Cup.
"I was obviously really happy with Super Socks today," said Brown. "My only plan going out was to take each exercise at a time. I realized after jumping through the head of the lake that I just needed to trust my horse and know that he's going to jump whatever's in front of him. It got easier to do that as we went through the course.
"Unfortunately he jumped out of both of his front shoes somewhere before the head of the lake," Brown added. "I think there were a few jumps where I thought I saw a good distance to it and he sort of backed off. Knowing what I know now, I think he made good decisions…That horse is nothing if not all heart."
Erin Sylvester and Mettraise
Only five pairs out of 57 that started today finished with no jumping or time penalties. Erin Sylvester (USA) and Mettraise finished dead on the optimum time. This earned Sylvester the Land Rover Best Ride of the Day award, an honor that comes with the prize of a two-year lease on a 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport. The pair's solid ride today helped propel them up the rankings, from 38th after dressage to 13th heading into tomorrow's stadium jumping.
"I was really pleased with Missy today," said Sylvester. "This was her first four-star. She's always been a super bold cross country horse, but not always the most rideable. She wants to get out and gallop and jump. The conditions were really good for her. She likes to have deeper going; it seems to make her more confident.
For complete scores, visit www.rk3de.org.
Tap here to view all of our Rolex 2017 coverage. To watch the livestream visit usefnetwork.com.
Hannah Sue Burnett and Under Suspection
Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Fugitive
Doug Payne and Vandiver
Phillip Dutton and Mr. Medicott
Tim Bourke and Luckaun Quality
Boyd Martin and Cracker Jack
Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com
Previous articleDressage Wraps Up at the 2017 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event
Next articleMichael Jung and fischerRocana FST Win Their Third Consecutive Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event
http://www.lesliepotterphoto.com
Leslie Potter is a graduate of William Woods University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Equestrian Science with a concentration in saddle seat riding and a minor in Journalism/Mass Communications. She is currently a writer and photographer in Lexington, KY.Potter worked as a barn manager and riding instructor and was a freelance reporter and photographer for the Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar and Saddle Horse Report before moving to Lexington to join Horse Illustrated as Web Editor from 2008 to 2019. Her current equestrian pursuits include being a grown-up lesson kid at an eventing barn and trail riding with her senior Morgan gelding, Snoopy.
Santa Anita's John Shear Celebrates His 100th Birthday on January 17th; Has Race Named in His Honor
Balancing Act: Develop a Sense of Security in the Saddle
Dispatches from the 2015 Pan American Games Equestrian Events – Eventing...
Leslie Potter - July 17, 2015


Famous composers, of whatever period of musical history, have never been neglected by writers. They have been the subject of critical assessment from every conceivable angle: purely musical, social, political, personal or whatever other aspect of their creativity has appealed to writers through the ages. Their music has provided material for students and intellectuals to research in the pursuit of doctorates or other academic endeavour. Much of this tends inevitably to be repetitive; later researchers quoting from earlier investigators. On the other hand the lesser or almost totally unknown composer is sometimes championed by an over-enthusiastic admirer who, seeking to redress the general neglect of his chosen subject, is often inclined to lack perceptive insight and thus present an ill-balanced, uncritical eulogy. It is particularly welcome therefore, to have such a book as this about a composer who is little known, yet written in a way that does not irritate or antagonise the reader by a too-effusive or gushing enthusiasm for its subject that can all-too-easily arouse a suspicion of incredulity or disbelief.
Geoffrey Self's book does not fall into any such trap as this. It is thoroughly researched and most lucidly presented. It recognises the shortcomings of Moeran; the personal problem he apparently had had with alcohol, and as the author points out, the probable cause of this, the head wound he had suffered during the First World War.
It had never been this commentator's good fortune to meet Moeran, but certainly remembers being impressed by reading a "Musical Times" article which reviewed in great detail the Symphony in G minor shortly after its first performance in l938. As a schoolboy at that time, I did not by any means understand much of that long article but became sufficiently aware of the fact that it must be a great work. A personal interest was thus kindled; occasional radio performances could be heard during the war years - one such was indeed memorable, heard in an army barrack-room in Hanover (when most of the other lads were out on the town!) in late 1945. From that moment on it became a quest to hear it again, but it was not until the Festival of Britain in 1951 that a chance came to take part in a performance of it at the newly-opened Royal Festival Hall. The Scottish National Orchestra under Walter Susskind, rehearsed it several times in the previous weeks, but curiously only ever gave this one performance. Since then I have never heard another live performance by a professional orchestra, but have conducted it with a good amateur orchestra during a summer week-end orchestral course. About this time, however, the early 1950's, some of Moeran's other music was performed by the SNO, notably the "Overture for a Masque".
Could such subtleties of personal musical analogy suggest yet again the existence of those indefinable, yet tantalising traits of unmistakable musical meaning we all recognise? This book by Geoffrey Self underlines this so cunningly and it is surely one of the things that makes it a truly great book of musical scholarship. The final chapter discusses the question of Moeran's originality. Few composers have ever been, in one sense, truly original; for we all take over from our predecessors the essence of a universal musical language. Some composers do indeed invent a musical language and grammar of their own, and in the long run such new means of communication often takes root and are eventually understood by those who want to follow. In the main however, a large majority of composers, and probably even an even larger majority of performers and listeners respond more positively to a language that is universal in its syntax so that in this way very few of us, perhaps none, can be said to be truly original. What we do is take existing musical language and mould it to our own personal way of expression. Avant gardistes tend to be contemptuous of this approach, demanding absolute originality at all costs. Moeran would not claim to be original in this sense - why should he - but his utterances within the lingua franca of English music are personal and, to the listener willing to explore, quite unmistakably reveal a voice that is his own. The analogy has often been made with finger prints; each one of us is unique in this respect, yet the apparent surface pattern or design of finger-prints looks pretty universal at first sight: they are all of the same kind; only careful comparison reveals they are each one different.
A notable feature of Moeran's harmonic language is the way in which a sunny phrase can suddenly become darkened, as if it were the musical equivalent of a chill dark cloud so suddenly occluding the warm sunlight of a moment before.


text:
After defeat of Islamic State, who will rebuild Raqqa?
By Alexandra Zavis and Kamiran Sadoun
December 21, 2017 — 11.50am
Raqqa, Syria: The crowd was seething with frustration.
"We want to go inside!" one man yelled. "They told us when Raqqa is liberated we can go home."
Some of the US-backed fighters who drove Islamic State militants from the Syrian city in October tried to reason with him.
It's not safe, they said. Scores of people have been injured or killed by mines since the fighting ended.
Younes Omar and his family, who reportedly escaped one of the last contested areas of Raqqa, break bread at a mosque being used as a reception centre on the outskirts of the city. Credit:IVOR PRICKETT
"Haram!" the crowd shouted. "This is wrong!"
There have been many such testy exchanges at checkpoints as the fighters known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, wrestle with the difficult business of governing a swath of territory reclaimed from Islamic State in north-eastern Syria.
The challenges are especially acute in the city that IS claimed as its capital and ruled with a bloodthirsty grip. Nearly two months after its capture, Raqqa remains a rubble-strewn ghost town.
The entire population - nearly 300,000 people - fled over more than four years of fighting, moving into displacement camps and crowding in with relatives in cities scattered across Syria and beyond. About 8000 former residents have been allowed to return to a few outlying neighbourhoods. But humanitarian workers say it could be years before most can go home.
A picture from drone video shot in October shows damaged buildings in Raqqa, Syria, two days after Syrian Democratic Forces said that military operations to oust the Islamic State group have ended and that their fighters have taken full control of the city. Credit:AP
The city is riddled with deadly booby traps and unexploded ordnance. Bombs have been found under rugs, inside ovens and refrigerators and, in at least one instance, stuffed into a teddy bear.
As many as 80 per cent of its homes and businesses were gutted by ground fighting and airstrikes. And vital infrastructure - electricity plants, water pumps, sewer lines, hospitals, schools - was destroyed.
A Syrian Democratic Forces fighter walks through the destroyed streets of Raqqa. Credit:Ivor Prickett/NYT
Who is going to make the city habitable again is unclear.
The United States has dispatched experts and equipment to help remove explosives, clear rubble and repair the structures that aid workers and local authorities need to operate in the city. But US officials have stated repeatedly that they are no longer in the business of "nation-building".
Male and female Syrian Democratic Forces fighters use a destroyed building as a base in western Raqqa. Credit:Ivor Prickett/NYT
Even after the departure of IS, Raqqa remains a contested city, claimed by both the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Kurdish-led fighters who liberated it.
In the absence of a broader political settlement, the victorious Syrian forces have set up a civilian council made up of local tribal leaders and technocrats to administer the province to which Raqqa belongs. But the council does not have the resources to rebuild an entire city.
A destroyed bedroom in Raqqa, which was declared liberated in October. Credit:New York Times
Although a number of countries and international aid groups have offered help, council members say they have seen little of it.
"We have our plans, we have our committees, and we are ready to start working," said Laila Mustafa, a young Kurdish civil engineer who leads the body with an Arab co-chair. "But we need help from outside.
Kawther al-Obaid feeds her husband, who was wounded in an air strike on Raqqa, as their son Bassam looks on at a hospital in Tal Abyad, Syria. Credit:Ivor Prickett/NYT
"If help comes quickly," she added, "reconciliation will happen quickly."
But as weeks stretch into months, frustration is building among Raqqa's displaced multitudes - frustration that some here worry could turn the mostly Arab population against the Kurdish-led liberators and create fertile ground for an IS comeback. The militants had more than three years to spread their extreme ideology and have proved adept at exploiting local grievances.
A woman grieves after the funeral of her brother, Omar al-Abed, a Syrian Democratic Forces militiaman who died fighting to oust Islamic State from Raqqa. Credit:Ivor Prickett/NYT
Looming on the horizon is the prospect of more fighting. Assad has vowed to take back all parts of the country that have fallen from government control since the start of a grinding civil war, well into its seventh year, that has killed hundreds of thousands and left many places in ruins.
Now that government forces, backed by Russian air power and Iran-sponsored militias, have driven the militants from the last settlements they held in Syria, the president's aides have signalled he may soon order an advance on Raqqa.
Syrian Democratic Forces militiamen bury their comrade Omar al-Abed, who they say died after grabbing an Islamic State suicide bomber to shield his comrades. Credit:Ivor Prickett/NYT
Members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units, which form the backbone of the force now in control of the city, are also bracing for a fight with Turkey, which has sent troops into Syria in part to thwart efforts to carve out a semi-autonomous Kurdish federal zone in the north. Turkey views the Syrian Kurdish fighters as terrorists because of their ties to rebels who have waged a decades-long insurgency within its borders.
The Kurdish fighters, who now control about a quarter of northern Syria, say they will allow Raqqa residents to decide whether they wish to be part of the Kurdish zone but have vowed to defend the city against all "external threats".
Fighters from the Kurdish YPJ militia hold a celebration in Paradise Square in Raqqa. Credit:AP
How much help they might receive from the US is unclear. The Trump administration doesn't want to get embroiled in a fight that could bring US troops into direct conflict with Russia or Turkey, a NATO ally.
The Pentagon is drawing down the program to arm the Kurds and pulling out 400 Marines who provided artillery support during the battle for Raqqa.
The dusty agricultural hub, on the northern banks of the Euphrates River, was the first provincial capital to slip from Syrian government control in March 2013. IS, took over the city the following January, after clashes with other groups opposed to Assad's rule.
Over the years, Raqqa has faced relentless airstrikes by Assad's government and a coalition formed by the US to fight the militants. But it was the final assault, launched in early June, that utterly devastated the city.
Residents described terrifying days spent hunkered down in their homes as coalition shells rained down. More than 20,000 munitions were deployed during the battle, killing an estimated 1464 civilians, according to the monitoring group Airwars.
The last residents were evacuated after the Kurdish-led forces declared the city liberated on October 17. Only the dead remained, buried under towering piles of broken concrete, twisted rebar and other detritus.
The euphoria captured in images of Kurdish fighters spinning doughnuts in their armoured vehicles quickly dissipated as they grappled with the difficult tasks of securing the ravaged city, clearing rubble, restoring essential services and preventing attacks by IS sleeper cells.
"The job we are doing now is much harder than liberating the city," said a Kurdish commander who goes by the nom de guerre Klara Raqqa. "We are so busy defusing mines, clearing streets, talking to civilians."
The commander grew up in this city, whose name she made her own, and her joy at seeing it freed from IS's grip was tempered by sadness at the cost.
"All these places were full of people," she said, standing in an empty traffic circle, at the foot of a clock tower where the militants had carried out public beheadings and floggings. "And now it is destroyed."
Heading down what once was a busy shopping street, she passed block after block of ruined buildings, their facades blown open and contents disgorged onto the pavement. Across from a small park littered with debris, the blackened body of an IS fighter lay splayed in the street near a child's tricycle. Not a single restaurant, shop or apartment appeared unscathed.
An explosion sounded in the distance, one of several bombs detonated by disposal teams that morning. Experts say they have never seen a place so infested with remnants of war.
"[IS] has just salted the earth down there with all sorts of very sophisticated and deadly improvised explosive devices," said H. Murphey McCloy, an ordnance disposal expert on a US State Department-led team providing assistance to the civilian council.
Many are now buried under rubble, making them even more difficult to spot.
The Syrian forces in charge of Raqqa have declared most of it off-limits to civilians for at least three months. But after a protest by displaced residents from the eastern neighbourhood of Mishlib turned violent in October, some families were allowed to move back there.
Bomb disposal teams were diverted to the neighbourhood from other parts of the city, but many explosive devices remain hidden in houses, gardens and streets. The aid group Doctors Without Borders said it treated 49 people there for blast injuries over 10 days in late November.
Despite the risks, the United Nations estimates more than 5000 people have returned to Mishlib. Wafa Haider, who lived in the area with her husband and four children, is not among them.
"The house I was in was destroyed, so we can't go back," she said, crouching over a hot plate to prepare dinner for the family at an overflowing camp in Ain Issa, about 50 kilometres north of Raqqa.
Haider and her family can't afford to rebuild. What little savings they had they used to buy a motorcycle to flee the city when it was under bombardment. So like thousands of others, they are stuck in a tent at Ain Issa for the northern winter.
"It's very cold," she said. "We are six people in the tent, and we only have three blankets and two mattresses."
Others prefer to take their chances in the ruined city.
Ahmed Hamid, a shopkeeper from the western neighbourhood of Daraya, stood recently among a cluster of angry men stopped at a checkpoint outside Raqqa. He had heard that his area wasn't as badly damaged as others and wanted to move back.
"If there is a mine inside my house, fine, I will die," he said. "It is better than living in a tent."


I never intended to be there when a man died. Finding myself on a street corner in downtown Baltimore on a frigid December night, snow falling softly, while inside they killed a man. Yet here I was, watching the impenetrable façade of brick and desperation of the Super Max Penitentiary, just blocks away from the inner harbor and smiling tourists. Meanwhile, buried underground were the condemned men of Maryland's death row, we above ground bearing witness. God led me there, just as surely as He led me here. Yet in going there I had to pay a price.
Did they know, then, that God was in their midst? Did some wonder about this man, others scoffing at His proclamation, this man about whom everyone whispered when His mother came up pregnant mysteriously all those years ago? Did Jesus ever suffer with the imposter syndrome that seems to stalk us all, nipping our heels the closer we get to doing God's will?
While He was not afflicted by these doubts, I am. When the voices of those who say they know me best tell me all the reasons why I can't do the seemingly crazy thing God is clearly asking me to do, how do I respond? Do I accept their rejection, rooted in my identity as God's child before anyone else's? Do I shrink back underneath that bushel basket, obscuring my light once more? In my life, I have done both.
Yet, walking the narrow road of the Gospel—bringing good news to the poor, walking with those captive as they are set free, watching with wonder as eyes are opened and those in slavery to sin and injustice are liberated—what is this worth to me? Can I risk the possibility of rejection, humiliation, or worse, to stand in solidarity with those Christ came to save? It's how I found myself on that freezing street corner in Baltimore while a man who was sentenced to death was killed, and why I walk this road with shaky steps, striving to do the next right thing all the way home.
Where is Christ leading you to stand? Will you have the courage to follow Him there?
Mary wasn't "mysteriously" found to be pregnant. In the Jewish tradition, it was ok to participate in the conjugal embrace while you were betrothed therefore everyone just assumed it was Joseph's baby.
My parents used to say, "save yourself for your family". Keep your feet on the ground and use good judgment.


During Give a Day Mayor's Week of Service, April 14-22, individuals, groups and corporations volunteer hundreds of hours to help nonprofits throughout Louisville. Activities can include anything from donation collections, campus beautification projects, giving blood or food, etc.
On Friday, April 20, volunteers from Brown-Forman, Genscape, and Net Impact Louisville joined forces to help clean up the Family & Children's Place campus by weeding, mulching, trash collection, and working with Louisville Grows to plant five new trees around the Kosair Charities Child Advocacy Center.
Family & Children's Place Ambassadors, young professionals who have committed to a year of volunteer service to the agency through outreach, fundraising, and networking, led efforts. Students from the Collaborative Learning After School Program (CLASP), an F&CP activity at Meyzeek Middle School, also joined volunteers.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer stopped by for a quick tour of our best in class facility and to thank the volunteers for their time and dedication. Emmie, our facility dog-in-training, greeted Mayor Fischer with a warm handshake.
National Volunteer Month coincides with a very important month for us – Child Abuse Prevention Month. We rely on volunteers to help with a variety of tasks so we can continue to focus on the work and services we provide to the community.
In honor of National Volunteer Month and Give a Day Mayor's Week of Service, we'd like to thank all the volunteers that donated their afternoon this past Friday. With the generous support of volunteers from businesses such as Brown-Forman, Genscape, and Net Impact Louisville, we can continue to provide our much-needed services to the community.
We couldn't provide the services we do without friends like this.
For more information about volunteer opportunities with Family & Children's Place, contact Janet Tinsley at jtinsley@famchildplce.org or 502-893-3900 x 265.


text:
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Union Printing
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text:
Baseball Is Sloppy In Loss To Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce (1-0) 0 2 0 0 0 5 3 0 5 15 11 0
Felician (0-4) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 8 6
(Photo by Dan Lauletta)
2B: Jonel Ozuna; James Boria; Justin Perez
HR: Brad Roberto; John Mead
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Felician University baseball team went down to a 15-1 defeat to Franklin Pierce University during the Northeast Challenge event on Thursday evening on Griffith Field at the Ripken Experience Complex.
Franklin Pierce is ranked No. 4 and Felician No. 10 in the preseason NCAA Division II East Region writers' poll. The Ravens were playing in their opening game of 2019.
Seniors Danny Healey Jr. (Brookhaven, Pa.), Jason Aponte (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Ronnie Sessa (Chester, N.J.) were each 2 for 3 for the Golden Falcons (0-4). Aponte drove in Felician's only run, plating Mike Martinez (Union City, N.J.) with a seventh-inning single. The Golden Falcons, however, already trailed, 10-0, at the time.
Senior left fielder Brad Roberto (San Diego, Calif.) homered and drove in five runs for FPU. Raven junior shortstop James Boria (Massapequa, N.Y.) went 4 for 5 with three runs scored.
Felician starting pitcher Michael Gutierrez (Garfield, N.J.) (0-1) worked five innings before building up a count of 96 pitches. The sophomore right-hander allowed two runs on four hits, struck out 10 batters, and walked four. The Ravens, the designated visiting team, touched Gutierrez for two runs in the top of the second inning. John Mead (Washington Township, N.J.) led off with a home run. Boria then stroked a double, advanced on a balk, and came home on Joel Lara's (Boston, Mass.) sacrifice fly.
FPU roughed up the Golden Falcon bullpen for five runs in the sixth inning, three in the seventh and five in the ninth. Raven senior righty Zach Hart (Wallingford, Conn.) gave up seven singles and struck out 11 Golden Falcons over seven innings to earn the victory.
Felician struggled in all phases. The Golden Falcons committed six errors, two passed balls, and one catcher's obstruction violation and were 0 for 3 on stolen base attempts. Seven Felician pitchers allowed 11 hits, 14 walks and a hit batsman, threw five wild pitches and were called for three balks. The game lasted 3 hours, 27 minutes.
The Golden Falcons and Ravens meet twice more this season on Mar. 16 and 17 in Lyndhurst, N.J.
Felician continues its four-day stay in Myrtle Beach by facing LIU Post on Friday at 4 p.m.


Discussion in 'Web & Email' started by etaf, Jan 25, 2006.
I have a spare ActionTec wireless modem/router for adsl, it works fine with UKONLINE , & I want to let my son have it to replace his BT Voyager 105 USB Modem for AOL.
I had hoped that the AOL connection via the BT line would be like any other ISP and I would be able to change the router.


text:
Q: Nested foreach-loop only working once on PDO This is a snippet of my code:
<?php
$kategorien = $kategorieQuery
$items = $itemQuery
foreach($kategorien as $kategorie): ?>

<?php echo $kategorie['kategorie']; ?>

        <?php if(!empty($items)): ?>

            <?php foreach($items as $item):
                if($kategorie['kategorie'] == $item['kategorie']): ?>

<?php echo $item['kategorie']; ?>

                <?php endif; ?>
            <?php endforeach; ?>

        <?php else: ?>

No todos

        <?php endif; ?>

<?php endforeach; ?>

The Variables look like this (print_r):
$kategorie:  [kategorie] => test [0] => test
$item: Array ( [id] => 4 [0] => 4 [name] => name [1] => name [done] => 0 [2] => 0 [kategorie] => test [3] => test ) 1

My Problem is that the outer foreach loop works but the inner one only runs once. So it echos all names of items where kategorie is equal to the current kategorie but all the folowing times there is just no output, but $items is not empty at any time. What am I missing?

A: Your code, as provided, works fine:
<?php

$kategorien = [
    ["kategorie" => "test"],
    ["kategorie" => "sample"],
];
$items = [
    ["id" => 1, "name" => "item1", "done" => 0, "kategorie" => "test"],
    ["id" => 2, "name" => "item2", "done" => 0, "kategorie" => "test"],
    ["id" => 3, "name" => "item3", "done" => 0, "kategorie" => "sample"],
    ["id" => 4, "name" => "item4", "done" => 0, "kategorie" => "test"],
    ["id" => 5, "name" => "item5", "done" => 0, "kategorie" => "sample"],
];
?>

<?php foreach($kategorien as $kategorie): ?>

<?= $kategorie['kategorie'] ?>

    <?php if(!empty($items)): ?>

        <?php foreach($items as $item): ?>
            <?php if($kategorie['kategorie'] == $item['kategorie']): ?>

<?= $item['name'] ?>

            <?php endif ?>
        <?php endforeach ?>

    <?php else: ?>

No todos

    <?php endif; ?>

<?php endforeach; ?>

But in comments, we learned that $items is not an array, but a statement object. So you need to do this:
<?php
require_once 'app/init.php';
$itemsQuery = $db->prepare("SELECT id, name, done, kategorie FROM todo WHERE user_id = :user_id");
$itemsQuery->execute(['user_id'=>$_SESSION['user_id']]);
$items = $itemsQuery->fetchAll(\PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);

And similar with your category list. Running fetchAll() saves the results into an array that can be looped over as many times as you like.
A database result set has an internal counter; once you've reached the end of the result set you can no longer loop over it, unlike an array.


text:
IV International Competition of Opera singers named after P.I. Slovtsov
The IV International competition of opera singers named after P. I. Slovtsov will take place in Krasnoyarsk From May 16 to May 23, 2017. This creative competition of the vocalists capable to show the talent, talent and skill performed by works, both classical opera repertoire, and romances, work of modern composers of the XX-XXI century.
Professional singers (male and female) at the age of 18-35 (inclusively), with musical education, students of musical educational institutions of higher and secondary professional education are invited to participate at the Competition.
The Competition is held in three rounds:
Round I is a qualifying round (held in absentia according to the video materials of the contestants)
Round II is an audition of the contestants with piano accompaniment;
- who qualify for a special prize named after P. Slovtsov has to perform a romance by Russian composer)
Round III is performing of fragments from opera scenes with the artists of the Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre accompanied by the Theatre orchestra. The scenes ate staged by the participants of the Creative laboratory «NANO-Opera» of Moscow music theatre «Helicon-Opera».
The Terms of participation and the Application procedure of the IV International competition of opera singers named after P. I. Slovtsov
Application form for participation in the IV International Competition
of Opera singers named after P.I. Slovtsov


I explained what I had been eating for the past three and a half weeks. I told her I was sleeping well, had more energy, felt great physically, surprised myself by actually liking the smoothies that made up the bulk of my intake, and that I had lost 13 pounds. She was intrigued.
But, the whole Oreo thing is just a great big mystery.
Never, and I do mean never . . in my life have I ever been able to resist an Oreo, but today I think of them as just so-so. I can live without them. I have no cravings for them. Usually what would happen if I even thought of an Oreo is, my saliva would be squirting all over the place. I would be driven to find something — anything — to eat that would make me stop thinking about food. And then I would stuff myself and feel crappy and eat even more.
But take that, ugly vicious cycle! Wham, kabam!!
139 this morning! Not that I really want to weight 139. I'm perfectly happy with 140.
That is AWESOME, CONGRATS TO YOU!!!!
Thanks, Nicole. I hope I still have it off by the next time I see you!
I would love to weigh 140. I would love to live on awful smoothies to do it, but I have not overcome the "oreo" fettish. Of course, mine is exactly oreos. It is any junk food that I can cram into my mouth. And what is even better, I wait until about 8 pm at night to start and don't stop until I go to bed. 12 steps here I come!!
I totally know what you're talking about! Been there, ate that! When do you start facilitating? This will be so interesting — You'll grown in all sorts of places!


text:
Q: LINQ query with array element in Where clause I've got numerous LINQ queries inside of for loops that look like this:
Department department = db.Departments.Single(d => d.DepartmentID == teams[i].DepartmentID);

The problem is LINQ doesn't like to compare against an array element and throws the exception LINQ to Entities does not recognize the method 'get_Item(Int32)'. Is there a nicer way to get around this besides declaring local variables for each of the properties in the teams list I want to select against? I'd like to avoid filling my for loops up with things like
int departmentID = teams[i].DepartmentID;
string teamName = teams[i].TeamName;

etc.

A:
I'd like to avoid filling my for loops up with things like...

Unfortunately, that is typically the best option.  The expression evaluation needs to be able to convert the expression tree into SQL, and it doesn't know how to handle array elements.  Making temporary variables is the simplest, most maintainable way to handle this scenario.

A: I don't know that this will fix your problem but you could try changing your for loop to a for each loop so that you have a reference to the current object rather than accessing it by index. The problem is that SQL Server has no notion of what an array is so when you try to use that valid C# syntax, it doesn't know how to translate it into an expression tree to produce the necessary SQL. If the for each suggestion doesn't work then I think you're stuck doing it how you are now.

A: Why wouldn't you write something like that:
var query = from d in db.Departments
                from t in teams
                where d.DepartmentID == t.DepartmentID && d.Team == t.TeamName
                select d;

This can be easily converted to Expression tree and finally to SQL.


The newly restored Prouts Neck studio of Winslow Homer reveals secrets of the life and work of one of America's greatest artists.
Winslow Homer's studio on Prouts Neck looks out across two rocky islands to the open ocean. On the southern wall of the first floor of this studio there is one horizontal window, set at eye level, a luminous rectangle against the dark wooden walls of the room, and through it you can see those narrow outcroppings of ledge slicing an expanse of water. The window is about the size and shape of several of Homer's magnificent late works — Weatherbeaten, Prouts Neck in Winter, West Point, Prouts Neck — those images of the coast he painted after moving to Maine from New York in 1883.
Deborah Weisgall's work has appeared in the New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, and Esquire. She has written two novels and a memoir.


text:
About Pearl Street
Nexus Parking Systems welcomes you to the newly constructed Pearl Street Parking Garage which is expected to open to the public on or about June 20, 2016 after completion of final inspection and equipment testing. The state-of-the-art, six level, 769 space garage is located in the heart of Downtown Metuchen providing short and long term parking for residents, local businesses, commuters, and visitors. The garage will also provide parking for the new Woodmont MetroOpens a new window which is the newest mixed-use development projects in Metuchen.
Train service is provided by New Jersey TransitOpens a new window (Northeast corridor line) and there are bus stops to various destinations, a taxi stand and plenty of parking in the six level garage. The average train commute to New York's Penn Station is about 45 minutes making this location convenient for commuters traveling to the many tourist attractions that are offered in New Jersey and New York.
The garage was built and will be managed and operated by Nexus Parking Systems. Nexus Parking Systems is a premiere parking Management Company in New Jersey which also operates parking garages and surface lots at Metropark, as well as Hamilton, Trenton and Glassboro, New Jersey.
The features and amenities of the Pearl Street Parking Garage include:
24-hour on-site service representatives
Daily and Monthly Rates
VISA, MasterCard and AMEX accepted
Short-term and long-term parking
Convenient parking for downtown
Vehicle charging stations
Free bicycle parking
Portable battery jumper service
Monitored by CCTV cameras
NJ TRANSIT Metuchen Station Parking
Handicapped parking on every level
Elevators on every level
Kalpesh Patel
Chris Maguire
CHECK SCHEDULES:
PARKING APPLICATION FORM
CHECKING PAYMENT FORM
CREDIT OR DEBIT PAYMENT FORM
MERCHANT WEB VALIDATION
Electronic Charging Stations
One Pearl Street • Metuchen, NJ 08840


text:
Back Beat
Music by Alex V. CipollePosted on 03/17/2016
The crunchy, poppy garage rock of The Googins — which combines the power-chord bash of The Who with the sing-a-long stomp of the Ramones and the Sex Pistols — might be one of the best-kept secrets of Eugene's music scene, but nobody likes secrets, so you can catch The Googins at Old Nick's 9 pm Friday, March 18, when they play with Fools Rush, Cuntagious and Rum Rebellion; $5-$10 sliding scale.
It's almost impossible for folks of a certain age — i.e., kinda old — not to be transported to a certain time and place — i.e., the decade of shake weed and shag carpets — when they hear the dreamy, mellifluous guitar of "Baby, I Love Your Way," one of a slew of indelible hits on Peter Frampton's gazillion-selling 1976 double album Frampton Comes Alive. If you're wondering how the 65-year-old guitar impresario with the funky wah-wah is feeling these days, check out his acoustic set 7 pm Sunday, March 21, at The Shedd ($45-$125) for an expensive taste of Carter-era, Dazed & Confused nostalgia.
Texas all-stars: The Shedd also presents that floppy-haired Texas twang bandit Lyle Lovett, joined by fellow Texan singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen, 7:30 pm Wednesday, March 23, at the Hult Center; $28.25-$65.
Over at the scrappy little all-ages venue that could, The Boreal hosts Oakland's wife-and-husband "avant-garde metal" duo La Fin Absolute Du Monde (the name was inspired by John Carpenter's "Cigarette Burns" Masters of Horror episode), along with bands Pinnacles, Paleons and Purple Frankie, 7 to 10 pm Sunday, March 20, at 450 W. 3rd Ave.
Local folk singer-songwriter Caitlin Jemma goes solo (sans band The Goodness) for a show headlined by John Craigie, who has been compared to Woody Guthrie, 9 pm Wednesday, March 23, at Sam Bond's Garage; $7 presale, $10 door. The Portland musician has described himself as the love child of John Prine and Mitch Hedberg — we're listening.
Mark your calendars for March 30 when booker Mike Meyer welcomes back "longtime Eugene folk-harmony duo" Carleen and Mike McCornack for a 755 River Road concert; contact mmeyer@efn.org for details.
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing: Local swing kings The Cherry Poppin' Daddies, fresh off the band's 2016 release The Boop-A-Doo, just released a new music video for "That Lindy Hop," featuring local swing dancers from Track Town Swing Club. Nick Davis, the founder of the swing club, says bandleader Steve Perry reached out after Davis and fellow swing kid Nika Jin were featured on the cover of EW's annual dance issue The Spin. "I listened to their CDs well before I was even into dancing," Davis tells EW. "I used to go to their shows regularly, so to get an email from him was quite thrilling." To read the full story and watch the music video, visit bit.ly/1Rl0bx8.
Tags: Back Beat


The CHPS compound at Dwere, a farming community in the Kintampo North Municipality of the Bono East region has been locked up by a building contractor.
The contractor, Construction and Development Support (CDS) Ghana Ltd says, the move is to compel the Kintampo North Municipal Assembly to pay some GHC 143,000 of the project's cost balance outstanding and one overdue for the past 2 years. This lock up comes on the back of warnings issued by the contractor last week to the MCE.
Over 3000 farmers in the community and its neighbouring villages who source their healthcare to the facility would have to trek some 23 miles to Kintampo for medical attention if it's not reopened.
Some of the villagers looked on helplessly while others knelt down to beg the contractor who had stormed the village with chains and padlocks to lock up the facility on Independence Day.
Project Consultant, Lily Akyaamaa blamed the Municipal Chief Executive for Kintampo North, Michael Sarkodie Baffoe for deliberately failing to pay for the project after taking credit for its completion in 2017, few months after he took office.
Checks at the assembly revealed that, the project was begun by the previous government, abandoned halfway due to lack of funds, until the current MCE negotiated with the contractor to prefinance its completion.
He has since failed to honor payments as agreed claiming the assembly has misplaced its records on the contract.
The contractor has lodged a formal complaint to the Kintampo Divisional Police Commander, ACP J.A. Gyawu over the conduct of Hon. Sarkodie Baffoe.
As at the time of filing this story, the facility remained closed with all health professionals evicted.
The locals who benefit from the facility have therefore called on government to resolve the issue expeditiously, since the facility is their only source of healthcare and its closure will bring dire and deadly consequences on them.
A/R: Government has presented a cheque of 250,000.00 to each of the family of the 7 zongo men who were killed at Manso-Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region last year.


I just launched my PS shop with cloud.
It is normal or I did something wrong with the DNS ?
Ok I didn't see that I have to choose my new domain name as the main domain of my account.
hey guys, i just bought a ssl certificate for my website and now its telling to to change my dns name? why is that and how is it done?


Hi my loves! I went to an amazing Armani Beauty event last night that was also a meet and greet with Marianna Hewitt so I thought I'd share some pictures from the event and my experience. It was the first beauty event I've attended in NYC so I was so excited!
So first let's talk about the event. I found out about it through Marianna Hewitt's secondary Instagram page @blogwithme. It's a page she uses to share her personal tips and experiences on blogging for the rest of us rookie bloggers to learn a little something. She's so helpful and I'm so appreciative that she made this page to help others in her industry succeed. So I quickly signed up as soon as she announced an event in NYC. The event was held in Soho at the Armani Box pop up shop. They have all of their amazing beauty products lined up for everyone to try on and test out. I decided to trust one of the makeup artists there and let him pick me out a lip color to purchase. I ended up with the lip magnet in shade 500 which he insisted when I wore it, it should be named "free drinks all night." I was laughing because it was such a cute thing to say. They also engraved each lipstick personally as an adorable little bonus for purchasing a product at the event.
Meeting Marianna Hewitt was amazing. I saw her as soon as I walked in and she is SO tiny in person. She is so stunning and looks just as beautiful as she does in her photos. I waited until later in the event to say hi because she had a lot of people around her. She was so sweet and down to earth and even checked back in with me later when she saw me buying a product to ask what I had bought. It just makes me want to support her and her brand even more knowing that she's such a genuine person.
My absolute favorite part of the event was the photo booth! You guys!!!!!! They had red glitter confetti blowing up in the air with a cute little video being taken of you. It was by far the cutest thing I've ever seen so of course I had to do it! I met another blogger while waiting in line to do the photo booth and we chit chatted and decided to take pictures for each other so we had some extra content from the event! She was so sweet. Her IG handle is @g_for_grace go give her a follow!
Overall, it was a fun filled night and I met so many genuinely sweet bloggers as well as fellow New Yorkers. I can't wait to attend more of these types of events in the near future and try some more beauty products from Armani Beauty!
Don't forget to keep up with me on Instagram @denise_whelan and thanks for stopping by loves!!


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The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/2012/10/22/cornell-law-students-should-easily-comply-with-new-pro-bono-mandate-dean-says/)
Cornell Law Students Should Easily Comply With New Pro Bono Mandate, Dean Says
By The Cornell Daily Sun | October 22, 2012
New York recently became the first state in the country to require that all law students applying to the state bar after Jan. 1, 2015, perform 50 hours of pro bono work — legal counsel provided at no charge — in order to be admitted. Though some law school officials and students have expressed concern, Dean of Cornell Law School Stewart Schwab said he is confident that Cornell law students will be able to meet, and even exceed, the charge of the new mandate — and in doing so, boost the status of the legal profession.
"Most of our students already would comply with this requirement," Schwab said. "We've done a study that shows that, even without this requirement, over 90 percent of the students that just graduated would have complied because we do have a series of clinics, internships, and other opportunities that qualify."
Schwab also emphasized the flexibility of the requirement, saying that the pro bono work can be performed "anywhere in the world, as long as it's under the supervision of a licensed attorney."
"Over half of our students will take a [clinical course], and many more work in public service their first summer after law school," Schwab said. "In their second summer, others will work on pro bono projects at firms or government agencies, or clerk for judges, all of which can be used to qualify."
Schwab said he hopes the mandate will "increase [the Law School's] interaction with legal aid providers."
Both Schwab and Prof. Susan Hazeldean, law, and director of the LGBT Advocacy Clinic, which provides free legal advice to LGBT people facing discrimination or harassment, said the mandate promotes lawyers' public service work.
"Some people wonder whether 'pro bono' and 'mandatory' are oxymorons. While I sympathize with that view, I also think the requirement will reinforce that the legal profession is a service profession, and the symbolism of this — that applicants for the bar have to do public service — is an important concept," Schwab said.
Hazeldean agreed, stressing the need for legal aid among many low-income defendants in New York State. Although the pro bono hours do not technically need to be completed in-state, Hazeldean said she thinks the mandate — which is projected to generate 500,000 additional hours of pro bono work annually — will contribute to addressing the "enormous justice gap we have in New York."
"There's a crisis in civil legal services. There simply aren't enough lawyers providing services to low-income people," Hazeldean said. "[The mandate] will encourage people who are joining the bar to take on and contribute to pro bono service as a professional responsibility."
Though some law school administrators across the state plan to add staff to help students meet the new requirement, Schwab said he did not think this would be necessary at Cornell.
"We aren't planning to hire additional staff," he said.
Although he said compliance with the mandate should not be a problem for Cornell law students who are pursuing a Juris Doctor degree, he noted that the new policy may pose more of a challenge to students enrolled in the University's one-year masters of law program.
"I am worried about the students in our one-year masters' of law program, which is mostly aimed at international students, who come for just nine months, and won't have the summer [to meet the public service requirement], as J.D. students do," Schwab said.
Hazeldean agreed, conceding that others initially had some concerns before the specifics of the mandate were announced. Still, she said she believes that the majority of Cornell students will have no trouble fulfilling the requirement.
"I think the mandate … has been crafted in a way that should make it possible for all applicants to the bar to meet it," Hazeldean said. " Fifty hours is not a huge amount of time — it's enough to make a meaningful contribution, but it should be manageable for most students."
Cody Herche grad, who is currently completing his final year at the Law School, will not be be required to complete the 50 hours — the mandate will apply only to people who apply to the bar after Jan. 1, 2015. Still, based on his experience at Cornell, Herche agreed that students should be able to meet the requirement fairly easily.
"My understanding is that, since a lot of law schools already have clinical programs, which would qualify, most students are not that worried about fulfilling the obligation," he said.
He added that he likes the "emphasis on volunteerism" in legal education.
"I think it's absolutely important to open up the justice system to people who can't afford quality legal representation," Herche said.
Original Author: Sarah Meyers
National Geographic Birds of Paradise: 'Survival of the Sexiest'
By The Cornell Daily Sun October 23, 2012
Modern-day explorers Tim Laman and Edwin Scholes presented photos documenting all 39 spectacular species in the birds-of-paradise family on Oct. 13 at the Statler Hall Auditorium.
Targeted in Second Email Prank, Prof Hopes to Punish Student
Prof. Bruce Monger, oceanography, has had a bit of bad luck with emails this semester. An incident Monday evening marked the second time this fall Monger has been impersonated in an email sent to students in his class — and this time, he has vowed to pursue all disciplinary actions at his disposal against the culprit.


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HomeAllBiafra Shutdown for 50th anniversary of declaration
Biafra Shutdown for 50th anniversary of declaration
Ovie. O May 30, 2017
Shops, schools and businesses were shut in southeast Nigeria on Tuesday, 50 years to the day since the declaration of an independent republic of Biafra sparked a brutal civil war.
In Onitsha, the economic hub of Anambra state on the banks of the River Niger, most markets were closed and the streets were largely empty of people and traffic.
Separatist sentiment persists in the region, which is dominated by the Igbo people, and the main pro-Biafran independence group has called on supporters to stay at home.
"No work today, we are Biafran, we are not Nigerians," saidEbere Ichukwu Eli, one of the few people to venture outside, where there was a visible security presence.
"No violence, it is a peaceful sit at home. We are protesting peacefully," the 47-year-old told AFP.
A woman who gave her name only as Justine said: "The market is closed today. I'm just going home to stay with my children.
"We want our one Biafra. It's our land. That's why we all sit at home today."
In Aba, 150 kilometres (95 miles) south by road from Onitsha, churches on Sunday urged followers to stay at home as a peaceful protest.
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)movement, Nnamdi Kanu, told AFP his aim was for "civil disobedience" to force a referendum on self-determination.
Over 100 arrested
Local people said the closures were either to commemorate the anniversary in support or because of widespread fears of violence.
Nigerian police last week denounced "planned protests and order of market closures" and warned it would "deal decisively" with any breach of the peace or unlawful protest.
Last year, demonstrations marking the declaration of Biafran independence turned bloody. Amnesty International said the military gunned down more than 60 people.
Since August 2015, more than 150 people have been killed in pro-Biafra protests, said Amnesty's Nigeria director Osai Ojigho. Nigeria's government denies the claim.
"We urge the Nigerian security agencies to conduct themselves in a manner that will ensure public order without resorting to force," he added.
Amnesty said security forces had arrested more than 100 members of pro-Biafran separatist groups in the run-up to Tuesday's anniversary.
Nigerian Army spokesman Colonel Sagir Musa said in a statement that security had been increased across the southeast in places seen as "real or potential flashpoints".
"The aim is to proactively checkmate possible security breaches in view of sordid/divisive utterances and in some cases blatant actions by secessionist agitators," he added.
Secessionist revival
Calls for independence never disappeared even after the 30-month civil war, which left more than one million dead, most of them Igbos, mainly from starvation and disease.
Many people accuse the government of failing to invest in the southeast since the end of the war in 1970, blighting development. Some see it as a punishment for the conflict.
"Most people here will follow the instructions. We want to show government that we are angry. There's no hope here for our children," said Chuks, a 43-year-old taxi driver in Aba.
"I'm double graduated and I couldn't find a decent job. I have to work as a driver to feed my family."
Support for secession has increased since the arrest in late 2015 of IPOB leader Kanu, who is currently on trial in Abujacharged with treasonable felony.
A court ordered his release on bail in April.
Kanu, who is in his 40s, told AFP in an interview that his time in prison gave him the chance to reflect and plot out the quickest possible path to independence.
"The mission and the values of IPOB are very simple: to restore Biafra, to make sure Biafra comes by whatever means possible," he said.
"We have chosen the track of peaceful agitation, non-violence, persuasion, logic, reason, argument. We are going to deploy all of that to make sure we get Biafra."
He added: "Our ultimate goal is freedom, referendum is the path we have chosen to take to get Biafra... There is no alternative."
All Biafra Shutdown


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Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (2002)
By Ruth Ann Strickland
The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) established additional campaign contribution and spending rules in federal elections and set new standards for electioneering communications. Such rules continue to be controversial to the extent that regulations of contributions and expenditures limit freedom of speech and press. In this Jan. 25, 2006 file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, chats with Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis. on Capitol Hill in Washington. These men co-sponsored the bill. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, used with permission from the Associated Press)
The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) established additional campaign contribution and spending rules in federal elections and set new standards for electioneering communications. Such rules continue to be controversial to the extent that regulations of contributions and expenditures limit freedom of speech and press.
Controversial law introduced by McCain and Feingold
Introduced in 1997 by Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis., the BCRA sought to redress shortcomings of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) and the abusive campaign fund-raising practices of the 1996 federal elections.
Supporters of the BCRA sought to preserve the integrity of the U.S. electoral system, reduce the role of money and corruption in politics, and give ordinary Americans an opportunity to express political ideas without being overshadowed by megacontributors. Critics continued to charge that by limiting contributions and expenditures, the law was limiting First Amendment freedoms.
BCRA prohibits 'soft money' donations
One of the most significant campaign finance regulations introduced by the BCRA was that national political party committees can no longer receive "soft money"—that is, unlimited donations to political parties from individuals, unions, or organizations for "party building" in federal elections. The act also prohibits federal candidates and officeholders from raising, receiving, or spending soft money for local, state, and federal political parties or in federal elections.
Furthermore, the BCRA forbids soft money expenditures for "party-building activities," such as voter registration and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts, linked to a specific federal candidate. However, corporations, unions, and state and local party committees may use contributions of up to $10,000 per donor annually for GOTV efforts in behalf of state and local candidates if state law permits.
These voter registration and GOTV activities funded by soft money may not be allocated to federal candidates, and, under these guidelines, a state party committee cannot solicit the money for use in other states. Each political party or local party committee must raise its own GOTV contributions. Part of GOTV expenditures must include "hard money," or direct contributions to political candidates that are subject to specified limits and disclosure requirements.
The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act was introduced in 1997 by Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis., the BCRA sought to redress the abusive campaign fund-raising practices of the 1996 federal elections. As part of the 1996 presidential race, Republican presidential candidate Senator Bob Dole (R-Kan.) waves from the podium as Senator Alfonse D'Amato (R-N.Y.) applauds at a Dole For President fundraising dinner in New York Monday, Oct. 16, 1995. (AP Photo/Adam Nadel, used with permission from the Associated Press)
BCRA regulates electioneering communications
Another area regulated by the BCRA is issue-advocacy advertisements and electioneering communications. Under the BCRA, electioneering communication is defined as broadcast, cable, and satellite advertisements that refer to specific candidates within sixty days of the general election or thirty days of primary and that target 50,000 or more persons in the congressional district or state where the election is being held. Issue-advocacy ads are supposed to address specific issues (such as pro-gun control or anti-gun control) rather than specific candidates.
In practice, however, these ads have been used to spend unlimited amounts of money on attack ads aimed at certain candidates. To ensure that issue advocacy ads remain genuine and to address electioneering communications, the BCRA requires any state or local party running ads that promote, support, attack, or oppose any federal candidate for federal office to fund the ads with hard money.
The BCRA forbids the use, within 60 days of a general election or 30 days of a primary, of corporate or union treasury monies for electioneering advertisements that mention a federal candidate and are aimed at the candidate's voting populations. Unions and corporate entities can still fund these broadcasts through their political action committees (PACs).
BCRA increased individual contribution limits
To compensate for the anticipated loss in revenues from a soft money ban in federal elections, the BCRA increased individual contribution limits to candidates and political parties and indexed them to rising campaign costs. Instead of a limit of $1,000, individuals may now contribute $2,000 per election (primary, general, and runoff) to candidates for any federal office up to an aggregate of $37,500 per two-year election cycle.
The former $20,000 limit was increased to $25,000 per year per political party committee up to an aggregate of $57,500 per cycle to all national party committees and PACs. In addition, the individual donor limit was increased from $5,000 to $10,000 per year to each state, district, and local party committee that engages in federal activities with a maximum aggregate of $57,500 (now indexed at $61,400).
No more than $37,500 of the $57,500 (as indexed) may be given to entities other than national party committees. Individuals are allotted a maximum of $37,500 aggregate per cycle to all committees other than national party committees such as state party committees and federal PACs. In total, the BCRA increased the aggregate amount of hard money that an individual may give to political parties, candidates, and PACs to $95,000 (currently indexed to $101,400) per two-year election cycle.
The BCRA set variable contribution limits for congressional candidates facing self-financed, wealthy candidates. In Senate and House campaigns, a sliding scale was established to raise the amount of individual contributions allowed when self-financed candidates spend a certain amount of personal money. The complicated formula was devised to counter the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Buckley v. Valeo (1976), which allowed candidates to spend unlimited amounts of their own money.
One of the most significant campaign finance regulations introduced by the BCRA was that national political party committees can no longer receive "soft money"—that is, unlimited donations to political parties from individuals, unions, or organizations for "party building" in federal elections. In this photo, Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., discusses campaign finance reform as demonstrators wave signs calling for a ban on soft money, during a rally in front of historic Faneuil Hall in Boston, Monday morning, July 9, 2001. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., right, joined him at the rally. (AP Photo/Angela Rowlings)
BCRA has been subject to legal challenges
Implementation of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act has been subject to legal challenges. The first was McConnell v. Federal Election Commission (2003), a case consolidated by the lower federal courts from twelve lawsuits brought by more than eighty plaintiffs challenging thirteen provisions.
Opponents of the BCRA believe that the act illegally prevents officeholders from helping their state and local political party organizations, that it unconstitutionally restricts speech 60 days before a general election, and that it unreasonably infringes on political party fundraising. The U.S. Supreme Court, largely disagreeing with the opponents, upheld the act's soft money and electioneering communications provisions, but it struck down the prohibition on minors making political contributions and the requirement that political parties choose between independent expenditures and coordinated expenditures on behalf of a candidate.
The decision in McDonnell was highly fractured, with several justices writing separately. In his partial concurrence and dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that "the Court today upholds what can only be described as the most significant abridgment of the freedoms of speech and association since the Civil War." Thomas repeated his calls for the Court to overrule Buckley v. Valeo.
FEC came under attack for rules implementing BCRA
Later, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) came under sharp attack, and in Shays v. FEC (D.D.C. 2004) a federal appellate court struck down many of the FEC rules for implementing the BCRA as a violation of the law's spirit. In Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc. (2007), the electioneering communication provisions of the law were challenged again. The Supreme Court held in a per curiam opinion that these provisions in specific instances could possibly violate the First Amendment rights to free speech and to petition the government. This ruling, along with Shays, reopens the issue of how to implement the law.
BCRA does not close all loopholes
Although the BCRA takes steps to regulate money in federal elections, it does not close all the loopholes, and many electioneering activities and communications are left unregulated, including interest groups' independent expenditures and issue advocacy ads before the 60- and 30-day windows.
The BCRA also does not regulate voter guides, direct mail, Internet communications, and telephone-bank calls. In campaign finance reform, every new law creates new loopholes and new controversies. The Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act, like the Federal Election Campaign Act before it, will probably be amended by Congress and revisited by the courts for years to come.
This article was originally published in 2009. Ruth Ann Strickland was a professor at Appalachian State University.
Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
Davis v. Federal Election Commission (2008)
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (1971)
Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc. (2007)
McConnell v. Federal Election Commission (2003)
Regulation of Political Campaigns
Abrams, Floyd. Speaking Freely: Trials of the First Amendment. New York: Viking/Penguin Group, 2005.
American Civil Liberties Union: ACLU Watch. "Supreme Court Matters: The 'Never Mind the First Amendment' Case." June 12, 2006.
Campaign Legal Center. "BCRA/McCain-Feingold." June 12, 2006.
Cantor, Joseph E., and L. Paige Whitaker. "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002: Summary and Comparison with Existing Law." Congressional Research Service, Washington, D.C., May 3, 2002.
Corrado, Anthony. "Money and Politics: A History of Federal Campaign Finance Law." In The New Campaign Finance Sourcebook, ed. Anthony Corrado, Thomas E. Mann, Daniel R. Ortiz, and Trevor Potter, 7–47.Washington, D.C.: Brookings&
Donovan, Todd, and Shaun Bowler. Reforming the Republic: Democratic Institutions for the New America. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004.
Farrar-Myers, Victoria. "Campaign Finance: Reform, Representation, and the First Amendment." In Law and Election Politics: The Rules of the Game, ed. Matthew J. Streb, 43–58. Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Rienner, 2005.
Henderson, Harry. Library in a Book: Campaign and Election Reform. New York: Facts on File, 2004.
Jost, Kenneth. "Campaign Finance Showdown." CQ Researcher. November 22, 2002, 969–992.
"Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act." Ballotpedia.
Maruo, Tony. "Campaign finance overview." Freedom Forum Institute, Feb. 2010.
Greenhouse, Linda. "CAMPAIGN FINANCE: AN ASSESSMENT; 1,638 Pages, but Little Weight in Supreme Court." The New York Times, May 3, 2003.
Ruth Ann Strickland. 2009. Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (2002) [electronic resource]. The First Amendment Encyclopedia, Middle Tennessee State University (accessed Jan 16, 2021). http://mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1055/bipartisan-campaign-reform-act-of-2002


This Arthur Hills designed course is a sleeping gem. From 2006 to 2010, the prior owners did nothing to help or maintain the course and it showed it. Enter Jim McNair, who also owns the Aiken Golf Club, who has brought the course back. A complete make-over of all 18 greens and refurbishing the fairways has taken time but it has paid off. Still a few wet spots and some lingering winter-kill (2018 was a killer across the board) but a challenging and fun course.


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FA Cup Second Round: 5 things to look out for this weekend
North west clubs Chester, Southport and Warrington Town are all in action in the second round of the FA Cup this weekend, 90 minutes from a potential glamour tie with a Premier League club
Tom Canning-LE
FA Cup First Round 2014/15 gallery
For many, the FA Cup doesn't kick in until the third round when Barclays Premier League sides join the fray but in reality the tournament has already been through seven stages beginning in August.
Evo-Stik Northern League Division 1 side Warrington Town, the lowest ranked side left in the tournament have already played eight games in this seasons competition, including two replays and defeated SkyBet League 2 side Exeter City in the First Round Proper.
Joining the north west contingent in the Second Round, to be played this weekend are Vanarama Conference sides Chester FC and Southport FC, all three hoping to win through to a potential glamour tie against Liverpool or Everton.
Here are five things to look out for this weekend:
1. The 'giantkilling' and the 'glamour tie'
Warrington arguably have the toughest task of the three north west sides, facing Gateshead three divisions higher in the non-league pyramid. Chester's trip to League 1 side Barnsley is no less daunting but the sides are only separated two divisions.
The FA Cup's penchant for 'plucky' non-league sides getting the better of league opponents has dimmed somewhat in recent years, but you don't have to go back to far to remember the likes of Havant & Waterlooville and Chasetown
Southport probably have the best chance of progression, their opponents Eastleigh are 10 points above Sandgrounders in the Conference but both sides have games in hand. Could we see a repeat of the 1931 and 1968 cup ties between Southport and Everton?
For Warrington, this is the furthest they've reached in the cup, having previously managed a Fourth Qualifying Round replay defeat to Hyde United in 1994/95 while Southport welcomed Sheffield Wednesday to Haig Avenue in the Second Round in 2010 .
Chester have only been eligible for FA Cup entry for three seasons, but made the Fifth Round on several occasions in their previous guise as Chester City.
2. Condescending pundits
The second round brings with it coverage on the BT Sport and BBC One, and the inevitable condescending tone of pundits up and down the land.
Were you to play FA Cup bingo, you'd be looking for terms like:
Plucky
They won't be able to keep this intensity up
The magic of the cup
Potential banana skin
Form goes out the window
Anything can happen
Ronnie Radford
Where to watch the games on television:
Gateshead vs. Warrington Town (Sunday 7, BT Sport at 12 noon)
Southport vs. Eastleigh (Sunday 7, part of BBC One's Final Score from 1.45pm)
Barnsley vs Chester (Sunday 7, part of BBC One's Final Score from 1.45pm)
3. The postman scores the winner
It's a common misconception that non-league sides are all full of players who spend the day as postmen or plumbers.
Much of the Vanarama Conference is populated with full-time sides, of which Chester are one and Southport have one or two players who could be considered full-time - though they only train twice a week.
Arguably one of the FA Cups most famous part-time players was estate agents Tim Buzaglo, who's hat-trick against West Brom in 1991 set up a home tie with Everton in the Fourth Round.
4. Homemade trophies displayed in the crowd
It's unlikely the local supermarkets will have supporters queueing out the door for tin foil, but it is a staple of the early rounds of the cup to see members of the crowd waving homemade 2D versions of the famours old trophy.
Don't say you weren't warned though if you can't get any foil on Monday morning.
A Southport FC fan cheers on her team during the FA Cup clash with Sheffield Wednesday at Haig Avenue (Image: James Maloney)
5. Ronnie Radford
With the inevitability of Slade at Christmas, you will undoubtedly be seeing this goal a lot.
So let me get in there nice and early..
Chester City FC


PC World has lined up another cracking deal for those looking for a tablet that combines both 3G capabilities and ample storage space.
This first generation Apple iPad tablet comes with a whopping 64GB onboard storage and 3G capabilities, all for just £394.60 including delivery, down from £699.
That is cheaper than the cheapest iPad 2 on the market (which starts at £399), whilst the equivalent iPad 2 costs a staggering £659.
You will however miss out on that faster A5 processor, the additional 256MB RAM, the slimmer waistline, the smart cover and the cameras that the iPad 2 brings with it.
But the iPad now also comes with iOS5 - and other improvements like iMessage, Newsstand, Reminders, PC Free capabilities and you still have the 1024x768 pixel IPS multitouch screen display with oleophobic coating.
PC World also sells the 16GB 3G version of the iPad for £349, a saving of £180 compared to its original selling price. The next cheapest tablet with 3G connectivity is the Sony S1 which comes with 16GB storage, Android 3.1 Honeycomb, a dual core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and two cameras for £450.


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Courses & Trainings
Dynamic Mindfulness Foundations
Dynamic Mindfulness Teacher
Dynamic Mindfulness Certified Trainer
What is DMind?
Calm, Focused Engagement in Your Classroom
Evidence: Why Dynamic Mindfulness Matters – From the Classroom into the Community
Joel, a 12-year-old 5th grader, gave his first instruction:
"Breathe in…. 1, 2, 3, 4 Breathe out…. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8."
After the first exhale from the crowd, you could feel a shift in energy and focus among the silent students and parents, now all breathing and moving in unison.
As he stepped down from the stage, I asked Joel if he was nervous leading so many people in Dynamic Mindfulness. He reflected for a moment and admitted that he had been scared, then added with a smile, "But I just took some deep breaths and then I was okay."
King Chavez Arts and Athletics Academy (KCAA) is a grade 3-5 charter school located in San Diego's Barrio Logan neighborhood. For the last two years, KCAA has partnered with the Niroga Institute to bring an evidence-based trauma-informed stress-resilience practice called Dynamic Mindfulness to its teachers, students, and families. Shelly Baca, vice principal at KCAA, describes Barrio Logan as "a neighborhood with a lot of love, but there is also a lot of stress and trauma." According to Baca, what KCAA has endeavored to do with Dynamic Mindfulness is to "merge the academic setting with the real world and make sure that our kids are not only academically ready to succeed but are mentally and physically ready to succeed in the world as well."
Dynamic Mindfulness is a practice of mindful movement, breathing, and centering that can be done by anyone, anytime, anywhere. KCAA teachers weave Dynamic Mindfulness practices throughout their day, often inviting students to lead the five- to fifteen-minute sessions. Scott Worthing, Principal at KCAA, decided to bring Dynamic Mindfulness to his school after being led through a short ten-minute practice by Niroga's Executive Director and founder, Bidyut Bose. Scott noticed his own stress levels dropped dramatically and reflected, "If it works for me in that short amount of time, it's gotta be good for our kids, and it's gotta be good for our teachers."
Both teachers and students cite numerous benefits of the practice, including an increase in learning readiness, better stress resilience in testing situations, and a school-wide drop in the suspension rates to zero for the first time in the school's history. Yet, what teachers and students repeatedly emphasize is a transformation within the students and culture of the school that are more difficult to articulate, or capture with a graph.
"Mindfulness is an easy reference when kids are dealing with issues in their lives," explained Sam Hess, a 5th grade teacher at KCAA. "The strategies and tools are already built in for them to self-diagnose and intervene themselves and become the person that they want to be."
Christina Garcia, a 3rd grader, reported that mindfulness has made her a better sister. "Mindfulness calms you down when you are mad at someone and you want to hit them. You can breathe and it calms you down, and you don't hit them," she explained, later adding that the "someone" she usually wanted to hit was her brother.
Joel Gatica, the 5th grader who led the Mindful Moment at Wellness night reflected that, "Mindfulness is more than just relaxing and breathing in, it's about controlling yourself." Joel was able to control his fear and become a leader to over 100 peers and parents with a few deep breaths.
A long-term goal of KCAA is to leverage the leadership potential within their young students to encourage the spread of these stress resilience and trauma healing practices into the Barrio Logan community. Vice Principal Shelly Baca posited, "Can our students bring those strategies to their little brothers and sisters who are experiencing the same trauma and stress? Can they teach mom, who is overworked and overstressed, to take a second to help herself so she can then take care of them? That is our hope, that by bringing Mindfulness to our 3rd through 5th graders it will slowly begin to spread down, and spread up, ultimately spreading through the entire neighborhood."
It is evident that one of the greatest triumphs of KCAA's Dynamic Mindfulness program has been to empower students with the life skills to be the change they wish to see in themselves, so that they can change the world around them one breath at a time.
DMind
What is Dynamic Mindfulness?
Learn Dynamic Mindfulness
Dynamic Mindfulness Online Courses