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Art Leonard Observations
Posts Tagged 'U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit'
Supreme Court Agrees to Review Catholic Foster Care Agency's Claimed Right to Discriminate Against Same-Sex Couples
Posted on: February 24th, 2020	by Art Leonard	No Comments
The U.S. Supreme Court announced on February 24 that it will review a 2019 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, in which that court rejected 1st Amendment claims by the Catholic Social Services agency in Philadelphia that lost its foster services contract with the City by insisting it would refuse to provide services to same-sex couples. The unanimous appeals court decision affirmed a ruling by U.S. District Judge Petresse B. Tucker rejecting a request by the Agency for a preliminary injunction against the City. Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, 922 F.3d 140 (3rd Cir. 2019), petition for certiorari granted, No. 19-123, 2020 WL 871694 (February 24, 2020).
Because the Supreme Court's last argument date of its current Term is April 29, this case won't be argued until the Fall Term of the Court beginning in October. The Petitioners have 45 days to file their principal brief, and then the Respondents have 30 days to file their principal brief, with the Petitioners then authorized to file a rely brief. By the time briefing is complete, the Court will have stopped hearing arguments for this Term.
The organizational Petitioner is Catholic Social Services (CSS), an agency affiliated with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which has contracted with the City to perform foster care services for more than a century. CSS was one of 30 foster care agencies that were under contract with the City when this dispute arose, of which all but a handful are religiously affiliated. All the agencies have one-year contracts that are routinely renewed from year to year, but CSS's contract was not renewed as a result of this dispute.
This case was sparked in March 2018 by a reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer who was researching an article about the timely topic of whether religiously affiliated child-care agencies were recognizing and working with married same-sex couples. The reporter called the City's Department of Human Services to report that two foster care agencies, CSS and Bethany Christian Services, had stated that they would not certify same-sex couples to be foster parents, and that the newspaper would be reporting this in a forthcoming article. All of the other religious agencies contacted had stated that they did work with same-sex couples.
CSS's position, communicated to the reporters and then to City officials, was that consistent with Catholic doctrine they would certify only single people or married couples to be foster parents, and consistent with Catholic doctrine they did not recognize same-sex couples as married, even when the couples had a civil marriage under the state law. After the article appeared on March 15, the City Council passed a resolution calling on the City Commission on Human Relations to investigate the Department of Human Services policies on contracting with social service agencies that discriminate against LGBTQ foster parents, pointing out that "the City of Philadelphia has laws in place to protect its people from discrimination that occurs under the guise of religious freedom." The resolution said that any agency violating DHS rules and the City's Fair Practices Ordinance should have their contract "terminated with all deliberate speed."
City officials tried to negotiate a way around this problem with CSS and Bethany. Ultimately, Bethany agreed to change its policy, but CSS refused. As a result, the Department of Human Services put a "freeze" on referrals to CSS, and the City sent CSS an ultimatum: either agree not to discriminate against same-sex couples, or the freeze would continue until their contract expired and the City would not renew the contract. The City also indicated that it was revising its foster care service contracts to make clear that agencies could not discriminate based on grounds prohibited by the City's anti-discrimination law.
CSS decided to fight back through a lawsuit, enlisting some foster parents as co-plaintiffs, represented by the Archdiocese's usual legal counsel joined by attorneys from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a religious advocacy group that frequently litigates on these kinds of issues.
Ironically, CSS claims that it has never been approached over the past century that it has been doing this work under City contracts by any same-sex couple. It also stated that if a same-sex couple approached CSS, they would refer the couple to another agency, and that such referrals among agencies are routine. While the City acknowledges that agencies do refer couples to other agencies, it asserted that this would be illegal if the reason for the referral was a refusal to deal with a couple who are in a "protected class" under the City's anti-discrimination law.
The CSS lawsuit made several claims. They asserted that the City's anti-discrimination ordinance, which forbids sexual orientation discrimination, did not apply to them because their agency is not a "public accommodation." They claimed that under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, they had a right to deny services to same-sex couples on religious grounds. They also made a "selective enforcement" claim, asserting a violation of the Establishment Clause, claiming that they were being targeted by the City as a Catholic agency, and that the City was retaliating against them because of their religious views. Finally, they claimed that requiring them to certify same-sex couples as qualified to be foster parents would be a form of compelled speech prohibited by the First Amendment Freedom of Speech Clause. CSS sought a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction requiring the City to "unfreeze" their status as a foster care provider while the case was being litigated.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) got involved in the case as legal representative of Support Center for Child Advocates and Philadelphia Family Pride, which intervened in the case as a co-defendant with the City, and is named as a co-Respondent on the Supreme Court Petition. ACLU attorney Leslie Cooper participated in the hearing before the 3rd Circuit together with Jane Istvan, the City's Chief Deputy Solicitor.
District Judge Tucker rejected CSS's demand for preliminary relief. She found that they did not have a likelihood of winning the case, and that the City's strong interest in enforcing its anti-discrimination policy was likely to prevail. CSS asked the 3rd Circuit to provide interim relief, which that court denied, and then petitioned the Supreme Court for interim relief, which that Court also denied without comment. On April 22, 2019, the 3rd Circuit issued an opinion affirming the refusal of the District Court to issue an injunction against the City. The 3rd Circuit's three-judge panel found that CSS's 1st Amendment arguments were all without merit, relying heavily on the Supreme Court's 1990 decision, Employment Division of Oregon v. Smith, 494 U.S. 872. The 3rd Circuit panel included two judges appointed by President Bill Clinton and one appointed by President Ronald Reagan.
In the Smith case, the Supreme Court dealt with a claim by two men who were denied unemployment benefits after their employer fired them for flunking a drug test. The employer had a zero-tolerance policy on drugs. The employees said that their positive tests resulted from using peyote, a hallucinogen, during a Native American religious ceremony, arguing that denial of unemployment benefits by the government violated their right to free exercise of religion since their use of peyote should be considered constitutionally protected under the Free Exercise Clause.
Under the Supreme Court's 1st Amendment jurisprudence up to that time, an application of a state law that substantially burdened a person's free exercise of religion was considered a violation of a fundamental right, which could only be upheld if the government met the burden of showing a compelling state interest and a policy narrowly tailored to advance that interest. Writing for the Court, Justice Antonin Scalia, a devout Catholic, rejected the employees' argument in an opinion that marked a radical change in 1st Amendment law. His opinion held that individuals may not assert a Free Exercise claim against a "neutral state law of general application." If the state law did not target religion and was applied generally, the state did not have a burden to justify it against an individual's free exercise of religion claim. Scalia embraced the argument that letting people claim exemptions from complying with generally applicable state laws would substantially undermine the rule of law, leaving individuals free to decide which laws they could ignore, a chaotic situation.
The Court's opinion unleashed a storm of controversy. Congress attempted to overrule it with bipartisan legislation called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which in its first version purported to restore 1st Amendment free exercise jurisprudence to where it was before the Court's decision. The Court then ruled that Congress did not have authority to overrule a constitutional decision, although Congress could enact restrictions on its own legislative power. Congress promptly enacted a new version of RFRA, under which individuals whose free exercise is substantially burdened by the application of a federal statute or regulation can raise a statutory defense similar to the constitutional test used before Smith. Many states adopted similar laws, including Pennsylvania.
The 3rd Circuit's decision on CSS's appeal rejected a claim under the Pennsylvania Religious Freedom law, concluding that the Pennsylvania courts would not likely rule in favor of CSS's position under the state statute. That ruling is not part of the appeal to the Supreme Court.
Smith has remained a controversial decision, and several justices of the Supreme Court have suggested that the Court should reconsider that ruling. In its Petition in this case, CSS asked the Court to "revisit" that case, and the Court's grant of review includes that question. Reconsideration of that principle – that individuals do not have a free exercise right to refuse to comply with neutral laws of general application – could create a substantial religious exemption that would be particularly harmful to the LGBTQ community in seeking protection against discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The foster care situation in Philadelphia illustrates this point starkly. Of the 30 foster care agencies that were contracting with the City when this case began, all but a handful were religiously affiliated. Although only two said they would not deal with same-sex couples when they were contacted by the Philadelphia Human Rights Commission in the wake of the Inquirer's article, it is unclear how many religiously affiliated agencies would provide the services if they thought they had a right to refuse under the 1st Amendment.
In its ruling in this case, the 3rd Circuit faced CSS's argument that its treatment by the City showed "hostility to religion," seeking to invoke the Supreme Court's ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 138 S. Ct. 1719 (2018), in which the Court overturned a state ruling that a baker violated the Colorado civil rights law by refusing to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. In that case, the Supreme Court reiterated that general rule from Smith but found that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission acted inconsistently in dealing with religious freedom claims and that some members of the Commission had made remarks hostile to religion, denying the baker a "neutral forum" to consider his defense to the discrimination charge.
The 3rd Circuit rejected CSS's argument, finding that remarks by City officials, including the Mayor, did not fall within the scope of "hostility" described in the Masterpiece decision. "CSS's theme devolves to this," wrote Judge Thomas Ambro for the court. "The City is targeting CSS because it discriminates against same-sex couples; CSS is discriminating against same-sex couples because of its religious beliefs; therefore the City is targeting CSS for its religious beliefs. But this syllogism is as flawed as it is dangerous. It runs directly counter to the premise of Smith that, while religious belief is always protected, religiously motivated conduct enjoys no special protections or exemption from general, neutrally applied legal requirements." And specifically addressing CSS's reliance on particular statements by City officials, Ambro wrote: "If all comment on religious motivated conduct by those enforcing neutral, generally applicable laws against discrimination is construed as ill will against the religious belief itself, then Smith is a dead letter, and the nation's civil rights laws might be as well."
The other questions put to the Supreme Court by the CSS Petition sought to get the Court's attention by pointing out different approaches by the federal appeals courts to deciding how to determine whether the government was discriminating because of religion in its enforcement activity, and asked, more directly, "Whether a government violates the First Amendment by conditioning a religious agency's ability to participate in the foster care system on taking actions and making statements that directly contradict the agency's religious beliefs?"
The Supreme Court already has cases scheduled for hearing this Term that could provide a vehicle to narrow or overrule Smith, and it is a bit odd that it granted review in this case instead of "holding" the Petition until after it issues its other rulings. On the other hand, CSS also argued that the 3rd Circuit's decision was a misapplication of Smith, so perhaps the Court saw a reason to treat this case differently.
The 3rd Circuit appeal attracted sixteen amicus briefs, mostly representing the views of organizations arrayed on each side of the religious freedom issue, including more liberal or progressive religious groups opposing CSS's 1st Amendment claims. Eight states joined in an amicus brief filed by the Texas Attorney General supporting the CSS claim. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia joined in an amicus brief filed by out lesbian Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, siding with the City of Philadelphia. All the major LGBTQ-rights legal organizations joined briefs supporting the City.
The groups that filed briefs in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case two years ago will flock to get their views on record in this case, the first LGBTQ-related case added to next Term's docket. Meanwhile, Court-watchers await rulings on three LGBTQ-related antidiscrimination cases under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, argued before the Court on October 8, 2019.
Federal Appeals Court Renders Decisive Win for Transgender Students in Pennsylvania
Posted on: July 1st, 2018	by Art Leonard	No Comments
A unanimous three-judge panel of the Philadelphia-based 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued an extensive written opinion on June 18, explaining the decision it had announced on May 24 to reject a legal challenge by some students and parents to the Boyertown School District's decision to let transgender students use facilities consistent with their gender identity. The opinion, written by Circuit Judge Theodore McKee, is a total victory for the school district and its transgender students, upholding the trial court's refusal to enjoin the District's trans-friendly policies while the case is being litigated. Doe v. Boyertown Area School District, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 16323, 2018 WL 3016864.
This lawsuit was originally filed in March 2017 by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the Christian law firm that specializes in opposing policies protective of LGBT rights, representing some students at the Boyertown, Pennsylvania, schools, who objected to sharing facilities with transgender students. Some of the students' parents or guardians are also plaintiffs in the case. Citing an incident where one of the plaintiffs actually encountered a transgender student in a restroom, they claim that the District's policy creates a "hostile environment" for the non-transgender students, violating their rights under Title IX, the Constitution, and the Pennsylvania common law right of privacy.
Title IX is a federal statute that provides that students at schools that receive federal financial assistance may not be deprived of equal educational opportunity on account of sex. In addition, the 14th Amendment has been interpreted to forbid sex discrimination by public institutions, as well as to protect the privacy rights of individual citizens from invasion by the government. Pennsylvania's common law recognizes a legal theory of unreasonable intrusion on the seclusion of another as a wrongful invasion of privacy.
The plaintiffs in this case argue that their equality and privacy rights were abridged by the School District's policy allowing transgender students to use facilities consistent with their gender identity. The District undertook renovations of restroom and locker room facilities to increase individual privacy, and has provided several single-user restrooms at the high school to accommodate any students who might feel uncomfortable using shared facilities to relieve themselves or change clothes.
U.S. District Judge Edward G. Smith issued a ruling last August denying a preliminary injunction that the plaintiffs requested to block the school's policy while the case was litigated. Judge Smith found that the plaintiffs were unlikely to succeed on the merits of their claim, and that granting the injunction would cause more harm to transgender students than any benefit to the plaintiffs.
McKee began his analysis by discussing the plaintiffs' constitutional privacy claim. He acknowledged past cases holding that "a person has a constitutionally protected privacy interest in his or her partially clothed body," but, he wrote, "the constitutional right to privacy is not absolute. It must be weighed against important competing governmental interests. Only unjustified invasions of privacy by the government are actionable." In this case, District Judge Smith had found that the Boyertown School District's policy served "a compelling state interest in not discriminating against transgender students," and that the policy was "narrowly tailored to that interest." The 3rd Circuit panel agreed with this conclusion.
The court found that "transgender students face extraordinary social, psychological, and medical risks and the School District clearly had a compelling state interest in shielding them from discrimination." The court described expert testimony about the "substantial clinical distress" students could suffer as a result of gender dysphoria, which "is particularly high among children and may intensify during puberty. The Supreme Court has regularly held that the state has a compelling interest in protecting the physical and psychological well-being of minors," McKee continued. "When transgender students face discrimination in schools, the risk to their wellbeing cannot be overstated – indeed, it can be life threatening. This record clearly supports the District Court's conclusion that the School District had a compelling state interest in protecting transgender students from discrimination."
The court also observed that the challenged policy "fosters an environment of inclusivity, acceptance, and tolerance," and specifically noted the amicus brief filed by the National Education Association, explaining how "these values serve an important educational function for both transgender and cisgender students." Thus, the policy benefits not only transgender students but "it benefits all students by promoting acceptance."
The court also pointed out that the District had gone out of its way to accommodate the privacy concerns of cisgender students by renovating the restrooms and locker rooms to enhance privacy and by making single-user restrooms available. "To the extent that the appellants' claim for relief arises from the embarrassment and surprise they felt after seeing a transgender student in a particular space," wrote McKee, "they are actually complaining about the implementation of the policy and the lack of pre-implementation communication. That is an administrative issue, not a constitutional one."
Thus, the court concluded, even if the policy is subject to "strict scrutiny" because it may involve a fundamental privacy right, it survives such scrutiny because of the compelling state interest involved and the way the District went about implementing it. The court observed that requiring the transgender students to use the single-sex facilities would not satisfy the state's compelling interest, but would actually "significantly undermine it" since, as the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals stated last year in the case of transgender high school student Ash Whitaker, "a school district's policy that required a transgender student to use single-user facilities 'actually invited more scrutiny and attention from his peers.'" McKee observed that "adopting the appellants' position would very publicly brand all transgender students with a scarlet 'T,' and they should not have to endure that as a price of attending their public school."
Furthermore, the court pointed out, the District's policy "does not force any cisgender student to disrobe in the presence of any student – cisgender or transgender," since the District has provided facilities "for any student who does not feel comfortable being in the confines of a communal restroom or locker room." The renovation included "privacy stalls" and single-user facilities "so that any student who is uneasy undressing or using a restroom in the presence of others can take steps to avoid contact."
But, said the court, it had never recognized an expansive constitutional right of privacy to the extent demanded by the plaintiffs in this case, and "no court has ever done so." "School locker rooms and restrooms are spaces where it is not only common to encounter others in various stages of undress, it is expected." Even the Supreme Court has commented that "public school locker rooms are not notable for the privacy they afford." So the court was unpersuaded that the plaintiffs' demand in this case had any support in constitutional privacy law.
The 3rd Circuit panel also endorsed Judge Smith's conclusion that there was no Title IX violation here. As Smith found, "the School District's policy treated all students equally and therefore did not discriminate on the basis of sex." Judge Smith had also found that the factual allegations did not rise to the level of a "hostile environment" claim, and the 3rd Circuit panel agreed with him.
Judge McKee pointed out that the Title IX regulations upon which plaintiff was relying do not mandate that schools provide "separate privacy facilities for the sexes," but rather state permissively that providing separate facilities for male and female students will not be considered a violation of Title IX provided the facilities are equal. Furthermore, in order to find a hostile environment, the court would need evidence of "sexual harassment that is so severe, pervasive, or objectively offensive and that 'so undermines and detracts from the victims' educational experience that he or she is effectively denied equal access to an institution's resources and opportunities.'" The plaintiffs' allegations in this case came nowhere near meeting that standard.
Furthermore, the denial of equal access must be based on sex to violate Title IX. "The appellants have not provided any authority to suggest that a sex-neutral policy can give rise to a Title IX claim," wrote Judge McKee. "Instead, they simply hypothesize that 'harassment' that targets both sexes equally would violate Title IX; that is simply not the law." He observed that the School District's policy "allows all students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity. It does not discriminate based on sex, and therefore does not offend Title IX."
The School District argued in response to the plaintiffs' arguments that "barring transgender students from using privacy facilities that align with their gender identity would, itself, constitute discrimination under a sex-stereotyping theory in violation of Title IX." This was the argument accepted by the 7th Circuit in Ash Whitaker's lawsuit, and Gavin Grimm's continuing lawsuit against the Gloucester County, Virginia, school district under Title IX, also advancing this theory, recently survived a motion to dismiss in the federal district court there.
But, wrote McKee, "We need not decide that very different issue here," although he characterized the 7th Circuit's decision in Whitaker's case as "very persuasive" and said, "The analysis there supports the District Court's conclusion that appellants were not likely to succeed on the merits of their Title IX claim."
The court also agreed with Judge Smith's conclusion that separate state tort law claims asserted by the plaintiffs were unlikely to be successful, having found that "the mere presence of a transgender individual in a bathroom or locker room is not the type of conduct that would be highly offensive to a reasonable person," which is the standard for the tort of "intrusion upon seclusion" in Pennsylvania. The court also approved Smith's finding that denying the preliminary injunction would not cause irreparable harm to the plaintiffs, as the District has taken reasonable steps to protect their privacy.
Thus, the District's trans-supportive policy will remain in effect while this case is litigated. The likely next step, if ADF does not slink away in defeat, would be to litigate motions for summary judgment if the parties agree that there is no need for a trial over disputed facts. However, ADF is likely to sharply contest the facts, so it may be that an actual trial is needed to resolve this case.
Levin Legal Group of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, represents the School District, and the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the ACLU's national LGBT Rights Project, with volunteer attorneys from the law firm Cozen O'Connor, represent the Pennsylvania Youth Congress Foundation, which intervened in the case to protect the interests of transgender students in the Boyertown District.
January January January January January January January January January January January January 2014 2013 2012
Arthur S. Leonard, a professor at New York Law School since 1982, edits the monthly newsletter Lesbian/Gay Law Notes, and is co-author of Sexuality Law (Carolina Academic Press) and AIDS Law in a Nutshell (West Publishing Co.). He writes on legal issues for Gay City News (New York), and serves as a trustee of the Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services of New York.
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Nanisiniq Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, or The IQ Adventure!
by Annette Smith
http://www.inuitq.ca/aboutProject.html
This is the website of Nanisiniq Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, or The IQ Adventure! an interactive sea voyage of Nunavut, a collaboration between the people of Nunavut, the government of Nunavut and several university partners.
It is a journey, studded with images of art and artifacts, as well as interactions with Inuit stories and elders. It is a self-representation of Inuit culture in a virtual space, designed to educate. The site appears to have a non-native audience in mind, but could also be used within the community.
For a detailed discussion of the site and its implications see:
Cynthia J. Alexander et. al. (2009). Inuit cyberspace: The struggle for access for inuit qaujimajatuqangit. Journal of Canadian Studies/Revue d'études canadiennes 43(2), 220-249. Retrieved January 22, 2011, from Project MUSE database.
"The case study's focus on environmental stewardship reveals how online representations of ancient knowledge systems can inspire postcolonial patterns of engagement between humans, and between humans and the environment. " (Alexander et. al., 2009)
Imagining Indians
http://www.imaginingindians.net/home2.htm
Further to my quest for finding aboriginal spaces in cyberspace I have come across ImaginingIndians.net. This is a paper doll timeline project created in 2000 by an aboriginal artist skawennati tricia fragnito. It traces some of aboriginal history from 1490 to 2490 through journal entries and outfits for the paper doll.
Does this project create an educational space for an aboriginal artist to self-represent her perspective of the image and history of indigenous peoples in North America? Artists have historically represented both the dominant cultural practices of the time, but also have acted as activists and produced works that subverted mainstream culture. Can a presence in a virtual environment have the same effect? I have asked for an interview with the artist to ask her opinion, but from what I have seen there is a movement among many aboriginal artists, world wide, to create spaces to connect them to each other, but also to put forward their telling of the past and their vision of the present and future.
This is then, an educational space. Where aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples can meet and exchange information, and this information can be created by indigenous peoples. This does give contemporary FN peoples an opportunity to control the message. To me this is a very good reason for FN communities to educate themselves and their youth about electronic technology. You have to understand the medium in order to re-purpose it for your own ends.
Powow outfit circa 2273 from imaginingindians.net
CyberPowWow – Unnatural Resources
http://www.cyberpowwow.net/events.html
This 2004 digital and Real Life event was a gathering of artist and curators designed to explore the unnatural resources of cyberspace. Were there the same distinctions in thinking about pixles, data, bandwidth and networks between Native and Non-Native thinking as there are about the 'real' world?
Can events like this that are situated both in cyberspace and the real world participate in the debate over the place of technology in First Nations education? Can it make explicit the distinctions in the values and needs of the communities in a way that would help First Nations youth avoid the many potential pitfalls of engaging in a technological world?
Native Representations in Video Games
This is a video that looks at historical representations of Aboriginal people in digital video games. Not very favourable, but as the director says:
"When it comes right down to it, I'd much rather focus my efforts on putting out new representations in games rather than revisiting old ones. This is my final nod to the past as I look ahead to the future of Native representations in digital games." Elizabeth Lameman
Using games in education, especially video games and online games, is not new in education. There even exists a World of Warcraft for Education Wiki. What is different in this sentiment is the desire for self-determined images, representations, and expressions of culture. Re-purposing western, mainstream, gaming technology for and by Aboriginal people including youth.
Aboriginal youth producing video games
http://otsi.abtec.org/
This is the home page of project developed to teach game design to Aboriginal youth, and have them create a game based on their own context and experience. It was produced in partnership with the Owisokon Lahache of the Kahnawake Survival School. Part of the plan is to empower Aboriginal youth to see themselves as creators and builders, and the other part is to pass on knowledge from elders and preserve stories.
Does this clash? Not sure. Just finding more and more projects that seem to support the idea that Aboriginal designed new media can be an effective teaching tool, and a method of preservation.
Contemporary Aboriginal art in Cyberspace
This is a link to the YouTube channel of contemporary Aboriginal artist sistagrlo. https://www.youtube.com/user/sistagrlro and this is her blog http://www.arohagroves.com/
I hope to speak with her about how she uses her presence in cyberspace to further her goals of Aboriginal identity and education about Aboriginal ideals and life in Australia.
Sometimes it is hard to get a hold of people in SecondLife, but I will post if I am able to speak with her.
Part of my research is to look at what value to education Aboriginal and Indigenous artists and creators see in their existences in cyberspace, so I want to speak with them directly as well as look at their work. Who do they see themselves as online?
TimeTraveller TM
My friend and I existing together in the virtual space of my cyber land.
One of the interesting developments in virtual worlds it the ability to create machinima, or films using the virtual world as the subject, setting, and actors. Using the virtual world means the director can create anything, in any space, in any time.
The link below is to a machinima created by An Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace Project
www.AbTeC.org. A young man uses a fictional technology called TimeTraveller TM to visit places and spaces of his ancestors, and the colonization of his ancestral lands.
This machinima series seems to have two purposes. One, to provide some education to the rest of us about aboriginal history in North America; and two to provide some glimpse of a future man connecting with his deep past.
I would be interested to hear what you think of this concept, and whether or not this is a positive thing or a further erosion of tribal values and identity.
My own presence in virtual worlds biases me into thinking that this is a positive expression of identity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1RNGFkzcyY
Some places to look at in virtual worlds
I have been looking at some of the builds and sims in SecondLife that are dedicated to indigenous cultures, and contacting some of the creators of the content. I am curious, about what they think the risk/reward ratio is of putting this material out into a very public and sometimes disrespectful venue. Also, I want to know their thoughts on the educational value of a presence in cyberspace before I get too deeply into academic papers.
For those of you who are interested, these are two of the places I have found (I won't post any pictures until I have permission)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Native%20Lands/101/128/508 North West Coast Cultural Centre (under construction, but the future home of the immersive indigenous languages project, and the North West Coast Cultural Centre)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Native%20Lands/13/135/24 Red Rock Mesa, at the "Squaws and Cigar Store Injuns" exhibit. The sim (or region) also has a market, a wind turbine and solar panel store, and several educational and ritual spaces.
I find that most people in this class are involved in k-12 education, but as I work in adult education I seem to be focusing more on that and also informal education. I would be interested to know if others feel that this could/should be a part of this course at all.
Self-Expression and Education
As was stated in the introduction to this course, there is no way to adequately answer all the questions of whether, what and how electronic technology should be incorporated into childhood education in FN communities. What I want to look at, is how this is happening now, and in the adult education context.
I want to look at the FN presence in cyberspace as it exists today, and how and why that contributes to both the continued education of FN adults and also adults and children in the dominant culture. Is this presence a positive or negative thing? Why do FN persons with a presence on the internet and in virtual worlds feel this is a) necessary and b) a safe thing to do?
Below are some links to some spaces set up to create aboriginal and indigenous places online.
Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace http://www.abtec.org/blog/?p=109 and http://magazine.concordia.ca/2009/spring/features/second_life.shtml
One of their projects on creating games with FN youth http://www.rit.edu/gccis/gameeducationjournal/skins-designing-games-first-nations-youth and http://www.abtec.org/blog/?p=219
A report of an award granted to a project which created a FN interactive story in the virtual world of SecondLife http://www.canadianexpatnetwork.com/public/891.cfm
My research paper/project will look at aboriginal spaces online, and I will hopefully be able to discuss interactions I have with their creators as well as look at the research that has been done on the subject, as well as how this connects to the concept of educaton.
Although I will not be soley focusing on SecondLife I will post the SLURLs (the links to places in SecondLife) that are relevant to what I am looking at; but those will only be available to people who are already residents in that world, so I am hoping to film some of the places and people I will visit (with permission of course). This is the environment with which I am most familiar, so I am hoping to find other virtual spaces to connect with and broaden both my horizons and the scope of my project.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Put the rice and all the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and use two big forks to combine, fluffing the rice and tossing gently to separate the grains.
Stir in the parsley, taste, and adjust the seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for up to a day, bringing the salad back to room temperature before serving.
Rice Salad, Japanese Style: Use brown or white short-grain rice. Halve the amount of celery and carrot and finely chop them or shred them on a grater. Add 1 cup cubed firm tofu (preferably baked). Instead of the vinaigrette, toss with 1/4 cup or so of Simple Miso Dipping Sauce (made by whisking together 6 tablespoons miso paste, 3/4 cup warm water or sake, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin or honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar plus more to taste, and salt to taste). Instead of the parsley, crumble 2 sheets of nori over the rice salad and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons black or white sesame seeds.
Rice Salad, Mexican Style: Long-grain or medium-grain, white or brown, all work well here. When blending the vinaigrette, add 1 tablespoon chili powder and 2 tablespoons Mexican crema or mayonnaise. Instead of celery and carrot, add 1 cup chopped fresh tomato. Substitute chopped fresh cilantro for the parsley and, at the same time, add 2 chopped hard-cooked eggs and chopped jalapeño chiles if you like. Serve with lime wedges.
Rice Salad, Indian Style: Use brown or white basmati rice. When making the vinaigrette, use rice wine vinegar, replace the oil with coconut milk, and add 1 tablespoon curry powder, or more to taste. Instead of the bell pepper, celery, and carrot, add 1/2 cup each cubed cooked potato, cooked cauliflower florets, and green peas (cooked frozen are fine). Substitute cilantro for the parsley.
Citrus Rice Salad: Use any rice. Instead of red wine vinegar, make the vinaigrette with freshly squeezed citrus juice—choose from lemon, lime, orange, blood orange, tangerine, pink grapefruit, or a combination. Whatever you use, add 2 tablespoons of the grated zest and 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey to the blender. Do not include the scallion or the vegetables. (You might want to use a little less dressing.) Instead of the parsley, use mint if you like. A handful of chopped almonds or pecans make a nice addition.
Tomato Rice Salad: Use any kind of brown or white rice. When making the vinaigrette, eliminate the vinegar and add 1 medium tomato to the blender. Instead of the scallion and other vegetables, add 2 cups chopped fresh tomato (a mixture of heirloom varieties is nice).Instead of the parsley, use chopped fresh basil or mint, or 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, chervil, dill, or about a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves.
Text excerpted from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian © 2007 by Mark Bittman. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.


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NEW EFFORT TO LEGALIZE HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE IN CANADA
MONTREAL, Sept 15 (LSN) – Gay rights legal crusader Stephane Gendron has begun another attempt at overturning Canadian marriage law. Having failed with an earlier attempt last January when the homosexual couple dropped out of the case, Grendon will now defend Michael Hendricks a well-known gay rights activist in Montreal and his homosexual partner Rene Leboeuf. On Monday Hendricks and Leboeuf accompanied by Grendon staged a trip to a Quebec courthouse for a marriage licence knowing their demand would be turned down before news cameras. The Canadian Press reported that their outrageous request was rejected at the Quebec Superior Court […]
Tue Sep 15, 1998 - 11:15 am EDT Fri Jun 18, 2021 - 7:07 pm EDT
MONTREAL, Sept 15 (LSN) – Gay rights legal crusader Stephane Gendron has begun another attempt at overturning Canadian marriage law. Having failed with an earlier attempt last January when the homosexual couple dropped out of the case, Grendon will now defend Michael Hendricks a well-known gay rights activist in Montreal and his homosexual partner Rene Leboeuf. On Monday Hendricks and Leboeuf accompanied by Grendon staged a trip to a Quebec courthouse for a marriage licence knowing their demand would be turned down before news cameras. The Canadian Press reported that their outrageous request was rejected at the Quebec Superior Court due to the Quebec Civil Code's requirement that marriage be between a man and woman. Grendon filed an already prepared challenge to the law which shows that he intends to argue that Quebec law is discriminatory and that the federal government must overturn it as a violation of the Charter of Rights. To counter these disturbing developments, Liberal MP Tom Wappel has drafted a bill to enshrine in law a traditional definition of marriage. The Private Member's Bill (C-225) will be debated this fall and Mr. Wappel is urging all concerned Canadians to contact him for a petition and for more information. House of Commons phone: (613) 995-0284 House of Commons fax: (613) 996-6309 Scarborough (riding) office: 483 Kennedy Road Scarborough, ON M1K 2B1 phone: (416) 261-8613


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Plainfield East High School senior earns perfect score on ACT
Lucas Del Rosario recognized
Plainfield East High School senior Lucas Del Rosario exceeded even his own expectations when he received a perfect "36" on the ACT college entrance exam in December 2019.
"It was definitely a pretty difficult test, there were a lot of problems that I really had to think about," Del Rosario said. "Overall though I thought I did pretty well, but I never thought I could do that well."
Del Rosario challenged himself by taking both the ACT and SAT exams to see which one he was better at.
"Both tests are structured differently, and I wanted to see which one I could do better at, even though both tests are not required," he said.
Studying was the key to earning a perfect score on the ACT for Del Rosario. He completed a series of practice tests at home and utilized free online study tools.
"It is a very fast-paced test, so I took practice tests to be aware of how fast I needed to answer the questions," he said.
"There were a few times when I was taking the practice tests that I went too slow and had to rush through to the end. It is important to practice the time limit and be able to get through all of the questions."
Del Rosario is happy with his results but reminds his peers anyone can achieve a perfect score.
"As long as you put in a lot of hard work and study, I feel it is an achievement many people can get to," he said.
With graduation only months away, Del Rosario plans to go to college but has not decided where he is going as he is undecided on what he wants to study.
"Lucas is an extremely dedicated student-athlete," said PEHS Principal Dr. Joe O'Brien.
"His work ethic and character will continue to guide him to many more successes. We are extremely proud of Lucas and this amazing accomplishment," O'Brien said.
PHS-CC African American Club to host inaugural Poetry Slam
The Plainfield High School-Central Campus African American Club is hosting its inaugural Poetry Slam at 6 p.m. Friday, January 31, 2020 in the PHSCC auditorium at 24120 W. Fort Beggs Drive.
The event will feature poets from other District 202 high schools as well as PHSCC.
The Slam is free and open to the public. Free popcorn will be served.
Club sponsors and special education teachers Marissa Charleston and Monique Armistead came up with the slam idea after brainstorming with club members and researching similar events elsewhere.
"We also thought it was important for students to have a space where they are able to connect with African American authors and understand how important it is for their voices to be heard," Charleston said.
The slam is part of Black History Month events in February at PHSCC that include hall decorations and a soul food staff lunch.


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Eccoptocarpha is a genus of African plants in the grass family. The only known species is Eccoptocarpha obconiciventris, native to Tanzania and Zambia.

References

Panicoideae
Monotypic Poaceae genera
Flora of Africa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


A flag to indicate whether unparented dialogs should be checked.
Constant for the the default setting for debug options.
The unique identifier of the JFace plug-in.
A flag to indicate whether actions are being traced.
A flag to indicate whether toolbars are being traced.
Return the comparator used by JFace to sort strings.
Return the ErrorSupportProvider for the receiver.
Returns the logger used by JFace to log errors.
Returns the status handler used by JFace to handle statuses.
Log the Exception to the logger.
Sets the comparator used by JFace to sort strings.
Set the error support provider for error dialogs.
Sets the logger used by JFace to log errors.
Sets the status handler used by JFace to handle statuses.
The default logger prints the status to System.err.
Sets the animator factory used by JFace to create control animator instances.
factory - the AnimatorFactory to use.
Returns the animator factory used by JFace to create control animator instances.
the animator factory used to create control animator instances.


We're working at expanding our product line for the upcoming year (see the picture below for a sneak peek!) and we hope you love the new products as much as we do!
We have special pricing available if you live in southeast Texas and would like to arrange for a pick-up. Contact us for details.
As a new business owner, it's hard for me to know where to draw the line between business and personal. Maybe it's not so hard for other people, but it is for me, especially since my business intersects with my personal blogs. But for those who don't know, I have a dissociative disorder.
Truly, though, this past month I have found that this business really is a joint effort: all the different "craftsy" parts of me working together to create different things, and even the different parts of me who aren't so craftsy, working together to take care of the book-keeping, the blogging, the website, etc. And when a problem comes up, without fail, a different part of me comes to the surface to share the solution. As those of you who may be dissociation know, internal cooperation is a huge step in the healing journey; and so this business has been an unexpected part of my healing journey as all the different parts of me all learn to work together.


Last year the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) reported on modelling by Deloitte that found an economic hard landing in China would send the Australian economy into recession. New research points to a more sanguine outcome.
Inoue, et al. (2018) modelled the impact of a one percentage point drop in Chinese GDP growth.
1. Australia's GDP growth rate falls by 0.06 percentage points in the short run, moderating to 0.045 percentage points in the medium and long term. Australia's trend rate of GDP growth is around 3 percent, suggesting that even if the Chinese shock were larger, the impact would be material but manageable.
2. The impact on Australia would be of a similar order of magnitude to other high income countries in the region, such as the US, EU, Japan and Korea.
Karam and Muir (2018) modelled the impact of a four percent reduction of Chinese GDP in the short run and a 10 percent reduction in the long run.
3. Australia's GDP fell by 0.4 percent in the short run. Similar to Inoue, et al (2018) this is material but does not make a recession inevitable.
4. In the medium term Australia's economy flexible exchange rate would mitigate the negative short run impact. In the medium and long term, Australia's GDP would rise by 0.4 percent, boosted by exports stemming from a lower exchange rate.
5. Australia's consumption would be two percent lower in the short and long run as the cost of imported goods increase, meaning Australians may feel worse off even if output and jobs remain relatively stable.
Groenewold (2018) modelled the impact of a permanent fall in China's growth from 10 percent to seven percent.
6. Australia's growth would fall by about 0.2 percentage points in the short run and 0.5 percentage points in the long run. Once again, this suggests the impact would be material but manageable.
A Chinese economic hard landing is not a consensus forecast but is plausible.
7. The Australian Treasury expects China to average GDP growth of 6.25 percent during 2018-2020. This compares with 4.25 percent for Australia's trading partners as a whole.
8. The World Bank sees China growing at an average annual rate of 6.3 percent out to 2020, against an advanced economy average of 2.0 percent.
9. The International Monetary Fund expects Chinese growth to average 6.5 percent in 2018-19, compared with 2.1 percent for advanced economies, and Chinese growth being maintained at 5.5 percent in 2023.
 Inoue, T., Kaya, D., Ohshige, H. 2018. 'Estimating the Impact of Slower People's Republic of China Growth on the Asia and the Pacific region: a Global Vector Autoregression Model Approach', in J.Lin, P. Morgan, G. Wan (eds), Slowdown in the People's Republic of China: Structural Factors and Implications for Asia, Asia Development Bank, Manila, 357-373.
 Groenewald, N. 'China's "New Normal": how will China's growth slowdown affect Australia's' growth?' Australian Economic Papers, 2018 <https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8454.12121>.
 Australian Treasury, 'Statement 2: Economic outlook', May 8 2018 <https://www.budget.gov.au/2018-19/content/bp1/download/bp1_bs2.pdf>.
 World Bank, 'Global economic prospects: turning of the tide?', June 2018, <http://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/global-economic-prospects>.


In this article we are going to share that HOW YOU CAN GET RID OF DARK KNUCKLES AND TOES AT HOME with easy way at home. Dark knuckles are more common in summer season usually that is a overall in season a major problem for us. This become in very hot season when your hand and feet get the sun exposure. This can be embarrassing for your hand and feets. There are super easy natural remedies you may use to get rid of these dark knuckles and lighten them off.


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<?php

namespace Smartbox\Integration\FrameworkBundle\Exceptions;

/**
 * Interface UnrecoverableExceptionInterface.
 */
interface UnrecoverableExceptionInterface
{
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


In the past sea transport was always linked to exploration. Now it is linked to trade and to the economic growth of PNG. The coastal regions of PNG were, the first to be developed. Whalers and traders in sandalwood, beche de mer and mother of pearl shell were the first to use PNG's natural harbours. The colonial administration developed plantations on the coastal plains close to harbours to allow easy export to foreign markets.
There are now over 50 public ports in PNG of which 17 are administered by PNG Harbours Boards. The total traffic at the Harbours Board ports has grown at an average of 5% per annum reaching over 3 million tonnes, of which 67% is overseas cargo. Dry general cargo accounts for 83% and liquid bulk for 17% of total traffic. The main export commodities handled are copper, copra, coffee, palm oil and timber. Imports consist mainly of manufactured goods, food grains, fertiliser, chemicals and petroleum products.
The Harbours Board is a Statutory Body under the Minister of Transport. It is responsible for the administration and control of all activities associated with the movement of ships and cargo handling within the limits of the ports in its jurisdiction. It is also responsible for the control of pilotage services and the maintenance of certain navigational aids. It is not responsible for registration, licensing, surveys or manning. The Board is financially autonomous but is subject to Government tax regulations. There have been frequent charges that the Board constitutes a monopoly. Managing Director Charles Punaha would like to correct this impression. "In 1976 we were handling 95% of the traffic but now we are down to 60-65%. The rest comes from the private sector. They offer stiff competition. For example since the private wharves opened in Lae in 1989, 15% of the traffic has diverted there and we have been forced to become more customer oriented." At present the Board is not handling any cargo from the big resource developers – mining, petroleum or timber. They all have their own wharves. The Board is out to tempt them with concessions.
The 17 ports are grouped into regions centred on Port Moresby, Lae, Rabaul and Kieta. Trade comes in combo or multi-purpose ships averaging 12,000 tonnes dwt which either carry part of their container shipment as deck cargo or are pure container ships of around 400 TEU capacity. Copra and coffee exports are generally handled as break bulk. There are no on-shore cranes at PNG ports, or at most other ports in the South Pacific region. A ll ships are self-reliant.
A berth reservation system applies at the main ports. Passenger vessels, foreign naval vessels, tankers and cargo ships which have given advance notice and have paid fees are allowed to berth alongside.
General warehousing facilities are not provided. All covered and open stacking areas are for transit purposes only. Most of the larger ports have bonded warehouses to which undelivered cargo can be consigned. Only those stevedoring organisations licensed by the Board are allowed to handle cargo within the Board's operating areas, with exceptions at certain smaller ports. H owever, the Board has no control over charges and cannot be blamed for the high labour costs at PNG ports.
The Board currently has difficulty in meeting its corporate objectives. "They will always be in conflict", says Charles Punaha. "How can we attain a 10% profit on investments as well as fulfil our requirement to be a social provider of services in the outlying areas? Only two of our ports show a profit, Moresby and Lae. They subsidise operations at all the rest".There seems little chance of the private sector taking on expensive, unprofitable harbours. But without their port some small places would be without food. It could affect the economy of an entire province, like Milne Bay or Gulf for example. It is a dilemma which faces almost any Ministry concerned with infrastructure. Meanwhile the Harbours Board has to maintain an acceptable balance between its financial and social objectives.


If using Kodi is only for accessing the movies and TV shows then, Galaxy Addon is undoubtedly the best Addon for watching movies/TV shows in the best quality. So I have come up with the Installation guide and review on Galaxy Kodi Addon 2019. Let's go straight to the steps down below!
How to Install Galaxy Kodi Addon?
First, you have to click on the gear icon from the home page of Kodi.
After that, select the file manager from the System menu and double click on the Add source.
You will get the Add file source dialog box on the screen, so select None.
Now, enter this path http://theuforepo.us/repo/ for the required repository and then click on ok.
You have to keep any name for the media source and then click ok.
Once the above process gets completed, you have to navigate to the Kodi Homepage and select the Add-ons.
On the top-left corner, you will get the Package Installer icon so select it and select the Install from zip file.
Now, you have to select the name of the source media that you have kept in step 6.
Over here, you will get the repository file of the source media which you have kept a name in step 6. For example, select the file repository.ufo-repo-1.000.000.zip and then wait for a few seconds until the installation process of the repository completes.
After the completion of the installation process, a pop will appear on the screen saying that the installation process of XYZ Repositor is successful.
Now, you have to select the Install from the repository and then select the repository as XYZ Repository.
In the XYZ Repository, you have to select the Video add-ons and then select the Galaxy addon.
Now, you have to click on the install option and then wait for a few seconds until the installation process of the addon completed.
After that, a pop will appear on the screen saying that the installation of the Galaxy Addon is successful and ready for use.
Just click on the open to enter into this addon, that's it!
When it comes to watching movies and TV shows then without a doubt Galaxy is the best Kodi Add-on. Galaxy Addon has 8 categories with a well-organized interface. Those eight categories are My TV Shows, New Movies, New Episodes, Documentaries, Movies, TV Shows, My Movies, and Channels.
It has tons of new content with excellent quality, and all content works well without any issues. Moreover, it has a Tool and Searches feature that will be useful to search for a new and favourites movies/TV shows. So let see now its categories in detail.
In movies, you will get excellent collection movies which are further classified into many sub-categories. So here is the name of sub-categories My Movies, People Watching, Languages, Genres, Year, People, Oscar Winners, Most Voted, Most Popular, New Movies, and a lot more.
Similar to the Movies, TV Show section has many sub-categories. So those sub-categories are TV Shows, New Episodes, Highly Rated, Genres, Networks, Most Popular, Most Voted, Airing Today, and a lot more. In Genres section, you will get Comedy, Family, Drama, Sport, Action, Adventure, Animation, and so on.
To access this category, you need to have an IMDB account. If you don't then, creating a new account on IMDB, you can access this category. Also, you can save your favourite movies and TV Shows.
This is two extra features that are available in the Galaxy Addon. In the tools feature, you will get a lot of option such as Clear Cache, URL Resolver Settings, Navigation, Library, Providers, Downloads, Clear Search history, and much more. And in the search feature, you can easily find your favourite movies and TV Shows.
Galaxy Addon is undoubtedly one of the best Kodi Addon for Movies and TV Shows. It has well-organized content and the categories but, some of the Kodi Add-ons are geo-restricted. Because of which most of the Kodi users can't access it. So for getting rid of such issue, IPVanish is highly recommended as it will keep them anonymous online.


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New Hip-Hop Song Expresses Frustration of Hip-Hop Artists in US, Japan, UK, Australia and World
by Alexandru | May 13, 2010 | Hip Hop | 0 comments
Bad Bentheim somali escort girls eskorte norsk New Hip-Hop Song "How To Get a Record Deal" is not just for gay speed dating near overlea md Marina Hip-Hop music fans but also Hip-Hop music artists. US Rapper C.KHiD wrote the song in hopes to represent the ideals of music artists who struggle meeting current industry trends. A very symbolic song, UK Hip-Hop artists, Australia rappers, music artists in Japan, and wherever else can relate.
"For me, it was all about relating to other artists. All Hip-Hop artists that are true to their music go through this. If they are there for a buck and a gimmick, they wont care. How to Get a Record Deal is what most artists think and know. I'm not mad at the industry, I'm just calling it how I see it," says US Hip-Hop artist C.KHiD.
Originally written by C.KHiD as a song for himself, fellow femcee "Madame Sabrosa" suggested the idea of adding a female rapper on the track. After a little talk, the two decided to represent both sexes on the remixed Hip-Hop song and release a music video.
The two artists dedicate the new song to https://the10minutemarketer.com/28195-türkische-singles-schweiz-43894/ US Hip-Hop, Ibshawāy gay online dating in rowland heights ca UK Hip-Hop, queryingly marineland espagne rencontre avec les dauphins Australia Hip-Hop, kostenlose singel chats für kinder reshuffling Asia Hip-Hop, Costa Rica Hip-Hop, and wherever else artists are struggling to balance identity and success. Releasing the new music video for "How to Get a Record Deal" on Youtube and Facebook today, fans of the song should leave comments like a petition.
Now available on iTunes, it will be interesting to see how far out music artists that embrace this song can be found. Already selling in Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), US, Canada, and Mexico, rapper C.KHiD hopes to continue with his career in music successfully.
To see the new video on youtube, visit link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlEWZZjrhSw
New Hip-Hop Song Expresses Frustration of Hip-Hop Artists in US, Japan, UK, Australia and World Pics
Picture of How to Get a Record Deal single cover artwork! Released on iTunes, it's a piece of modern artwork rich of symbolic expression.
How to Get a Record Deal, the official music video. Song features Hip Hop artists C.KHiD and Madame Sabrosa. Acting artists include musician B.Clark, Comedian Jus Jeff, and fill-in Raf Clinks.
Tekashi 6ix9ine's Manager Shotti Sentenced 15 Years Prison.. TreyWay!
Gyft Cancels Rumors of Being Signed to Kanye West Good Music Label
Justin Bieber Fever Spreading via Youtube Videos
Instagram Filter Ban Bad For Plastic Surgery Denver-CO Clinics Offer
New Lil Wayne Songs Being Written in Wayne's Prison Cell


Playgroup will finish Friday December 7th for 2018. We would like thank all the wonderful families who have supported us during the year.
PLAYGROUP WILL RETURN IN 2019 FEBRUARY 8th.
Please come and join us. Every Friday from 9:00am -11:00am.(school terms) All welcome. No cost for ages 0-5 years. Activities provided for all ages.
Follow our link for more information.


Perfect Service through the Experts-Roofing.
Fixing your own roof can be a difficult task. It is also a very tedious process as well as very dangerous. There is a great possibility that you can end up messing up the entire operation of your roof repair. In your home the roof is one of the most important things. The strength of the entire structure depends on the roof. It is also the roof that protects your entire family. The repairs that are related to your roof ought to be considered very serious, therefore. They affect the safety of the occupant's directly.
Very delicate are the roof repairs. To hire a professional roofer is very cost effective in the first place. The contractor helps a lot in fixing the damaged roof. The contractor in some cases gets the materials in a very easy way thus reducing the cost. They will also have the right tools of work thus making the work over in less time than you would have done by yourself. Purchasing the required tools and materials would actually make the entire cost of roofing to go very high.
The durability of your roof can be guaranteed by hiring a professional. Professionals have the relevant skills to ensure that they provide the required quality of work. Through the professionals, every roofing will have to be done using the right materials. They will provide the right materials for your roof. Your roof, therefore, will be repaired to the specific material and not just the available materials.
There is a lot of efficiency and effectiveness through the professionals. They usually inspect any work before working on it. The professional will inspect it and can even prepare you on the budget that you ought to expect on the repairs. They will also recommend the kind of roofing that ought to be done depending on the damage. For a long time, the professionals have been handling different roofing issues. The issues that they have at times is very simple and might be so obvious according to them. The service that they will give you, therefore, is very great and perfect.
The professional has the main goal of giving you perfect service. Every roofing that they seek to give you is one that is made of the best materials and of high quality. In the roofing structures, safety is key. What the professional first looks on are the safety of your family. Experts don't like being associated with bad jobs. Their clientele and goodwill can be spoiled by this. They will, therefore, put more effort to ensure that you get the best service that will see you get the best out of the roofing.


Dr. Samuel Castillo Sr, MD is a Doctor primarily located in Barrington, IL, with another office in Chicago, IL. He has 52 years of experience. His specialties include Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He speaks English.
The overall average patient rating of Dr. Samuel Castillo Sr is Great. Dr. Samuel Castillo Sr has been rated by 3 patients. From those 3 patients 0 of those left a comment along with their rating. The overall rating for Dr. Samuel Castillo Sr is 3.7 of 5.0 stars.
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Donovan Deschner
Comedian & Gentleman of Leisure
No Backup Plan
Buy The Special
Citizencast
My longtime friend, Marcus Beaubier, has started a new podcast and he invited me to record an episode with him last week. The episode was released today and you can listen to it on SoundCloud or it's embedded at the bottom of this post. The series is called Citizencast and my appearance marks its fifth episode. (For another listening treat be sure to check out another longtime friend, Lori Gibbs, on Episode 4 by clicking here.)
On our episode, Marcus and I talked about many different topics including dogs (specifically my dog because I talk of little else) and the nature of taking offence. We talked a lot about how stand-up comedy fairs in a social media world. If at any point we sound like experts that would sure be nice, but trust that it is entirely accidental.
I must confess I wasn't sure how this would turn out. Most of the areas of discussion that we found were heretofore only a fleeting thought that I never really fleshed out. Add to that the muddiness of a head cold during the recording and I left wondering what Marcus would pull from the conversation. Turns out it's mostly coherent! The ideas that need work I'll mull over and develop – which is to say that I'll mull over all of it in one way or another for quite some time. Nothing is ever really done changing and evolving (and we discuss that in a way as well).
For future updates and episodes from Citizencast be sure to follow along on Facebook or Twitter. I know that Marcus' hope is to pull guests from a wide range of backgrounds to find out "what makes them tick" so the future of the podcast promises a great deal of variety. The up to date list of all the episodes can always be seen and listened to on SoundCloud.
More of the Latest
"Not You"
Success By Surprise
Touring with Trent McClellan
Brand New Website
Yuk Yuk's Comedy Podcast
Daybreak At Night
The Latest from Donovan Deschner
For more than a few years now, I've been attending the Calgary editions of a speaker series called PechaKucha. The premise is straightforward, keeps the presentations concise, and… (read more)
Now that we're just over a week into the New Year the annual "resolutions cycle" has fully run its course. You've probably seen your own versions. The posts… (read more)
My longtime friend, Marcus Beaubier, has started a new podcast and he invited me to record an episode with him last week. The episode was released today and… (read more)


The whole world breathed a huge sigh of relief when the 12 school boys and their assistant coach were pulled out of the flooded cave in Thailand completely unharmed, bringing an end to the near three-week ordeal that spurred an international rescue effort. However, the rescue came at a large price.
Saman Kunan, a former Thai Navy SEAL member, died on his way out of the Tham Luang cave complex after going in to supply one of the chambers with oxygen tanks at around 2am on Friday morning. Tragically, it had been his job to deliver oxygen to the cave but he did not have enough for himself on his way out.
Immediately after his death became public knowledge, people around the world began mourning the brave Navy SEAL member - but no tribute was more touching than the one his wife left him on social media.
In a post on Instagram on Jul 7, a day after his death, Kunan's widow, Valeepoan Kunan wrote: : "You'll always be with me ... there's no one like you ... if you're not with me, I don't want to go on breathing ... because we promised each other we would use the same breathe."
In her latest post on Tuesday, she reportedly wrote: "I miss you. I love you so much. I love you like you're my very heart… from now on when I wake up … who will I kiss?"
Now, almost a week after his death, Valeepoan has spoken out again, urging the boys not to blame themselves for his death. Kunan's widow told reporters: "I want to tell the boys, please don't blame yourselves."
Her words are likely to give comfort to the 12 boys who were last seen in a recent video that showed them recovering in isolation at the Chiang Rai Prachanukroh hospital after more than two weeks underground. In the new footage, the children were seen by the public for the first time since their rescue and some of the boys on the soccer team — who range in age from 11 to 16 — are seen sitting up in their hospital beds with masks over their face.
"From our assessment, they are in good condition and not stressed," Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong, an inspector for Thailand's health department, stated, according to Reuters. "The children were well taken care of in the cave."
Their rescuer Saman lost consciousness after placing their oxygen tanks in the Tham Luang cave complex. His buddy attempted to resuscitate him but this did not work. He then was carried to a chamber where first aid was administered, but he was eventually hospitalised and died.
The head of the rescue mission,Narongsak Osottanakorn, has stated that the world should remember him as the true hero of the 17-day operation. "Saman Kunan is the real hero," Osottanakorn told reporters. "On the day that he passed, the entire team was sad, but we used this sorrow. We saw that he gave his life for this cause."
Rest in peace, Saman Kunan.


Displaying 191 to 200 of 264 web sites found.
ChristiaNet - Christian business directory, Web page design, managment consulting and Internet training for Christian businesses, ministries and churches.
An Australian Christian outreach ministry promoting Jesus Christ through music, prison ministry, Church in the Park events and evangelism.
The web home of author, broadcaster and syndicated columnist Mike Collins.
A Christian, interdenominational, non-profit faith mission whose main purpose and aim is that of helping the church to grow. Most activity is centered in the Caribbean.


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MLB Team History
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Flying Eagle – Doug Flutie
Flutie played football for Boston College, the only Division I-A school to recruit him, from 1981 to 1984, and won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award in his senior year (1984). Flutie became the first quarterback to win the Heisman since Pat Sullivan in 1971. Flutie left school as the NCAA's all-time passing yardage leader with 10,579 yards and was a consensus All-American as a senior. He earned Player of the Year awards from UPI, Kodak, The Sporting News, and the Maxwell Football Club. The quarterback coach for Boston College from 1981 – 1983 was Tom Coughlin.
Flutie gained national attention in 1984 when he led the Eagles to victory in a high-scoring, back-and-forth game against the Miami Hurricanes (led by QB Bernie Kosar). The game was nationally televised on CBS the day after Thanksgiving and thus had a huge audience. Miami staged a dramatic drive to take the lead, 45–41, in the closing minute of the game. Boston College then took possession at its own 22-yard line with 28 seconds to go. After two passes moved the ball another 30 yards, only 6 seconds remained. On the last play of the game, Flutie scrambled away from the defense and threw a "Hail Mary pass" that was caught in the end zone by Gerard Phelan, giving BC a 47–45 win. Flutie won the Heisman trophy a week later, but the voting had finished before the game; Flutie said, however, that "without the Hail Mary pass I think I could have been very easily forgotten".
The subsequent rise in applications for admission to Boston College after Flutie's "Hail Mary" gave rise to the admissions phenomenon known as the "Flutie Effect". This idea essentially states that a winning sports team can increase the recognition value of a school enough to make it more attractive to potential applicants.
In addition to his collegiate athletic achievement, Flutie maintained a distinguished academic record at Boston College. He was a candidate for a Rhodes Scholarship, for which he was named a finalist in 1984. Upon graduating, Flutie won a National Football Foundation post-graduate scholarship.
In November 2008, Flutie was honored by Boston College with a statue of him throwing his famous "Hail Mary" pass outside of Alumni Stadium. His number, 22, has been retired by the Boston College football program.
Jared Dudley – BC Eagles
During his college years, Dudley played with the Boston College Eagles. During the 2004–05 season, Dudley helped the Eagles start 20–0, as they finished 25–5. Dudley was a four-year starter for the Eagles and played in every BC game in his first three years. He had a streak of over 100 consecutive starts snapped when he suffered a stress fracture in December 2006. During his final season, he was the team's leading scorer and rebounder and was one of two captains alongside fellow senior Sean Marshall. In his college days, he earned the nickname "Junkyard Dog" for his toughness and nose for the ball.
He scored 30 points on November 29, 2006, against Michigan State on national television. His career-high in points is 36, which he scored against Villanova in a January 19, 2005 victory during his sophomore season. He averaged 19 points and 3 assists per game during his senior year.
After his senior season, Dudley has voted the ACC Player of the Year for 2007 and was a second-team All-American.
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In 1892, Boston College President Edward Ignatius Devitt, S.J., grudgingly agreed to the requests of two undergraduates, Joseph F. O'Connell of the class of 1893 and Joseph Drum of the class of 1894, to start a varsity football team. Drum would become the first head coach, albeit an unpaid position and O'Connell was captain. On October 26, 1893, BC played its first official game against the St. John's Literary Institute of Cambridge followed by its first intercollegiate game against MIT. BC won the first game 4–0, but lost 6–0 to MIT. Some of the original team's alumni had particularly significant careers: captain Joseph Drum became the first BC graduate to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Joseph F. O'Connell was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and running back James Carlin became president of the College of the Holy Cross.
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text:
To build an easy to use web interface for managing the platform, with a focus on

- Multi-Company: should support multiple companies with multiple soc administrators at different locations
- Agent Management: ability to manage the configuration of agents that are located at different locations
- Threat Notifications: based on information enriched by the enrichment threat intel toplogoies
- User Management: ability to manage users and how they should be notified when a threat occurs

## Design Principles

- The GUI should not contain any business logic.
- API calls should be used to drive the GUI.
- The GUI and API could reside on different machines.  So, the API server URL should be a parameter

## Framework

We use Flask with the Jinja2 templating framework and Knockout.js as the Javascript framework for provide data binding between GUI and the [Threat Management Platform API](https://github.com/flyballlabs/threatdetectionservice/tree/master/api)

The following picture depicts the core components of the GUI.

![alt text](../guides/images/gui_components.jpg "Components of the GUI")


I don't know why but I just balled my head off reading this. Maybe its because we both share custody of our first, maybe that I, too, have a growing boy and am in the midst of navigating those challenging waters….not sure, but this was beautifully written and deeply affecting. You and your remarkable son share something wonderfully fine and rich. Congratulations on arriving at this place in your journey!
What a beautiful blog post, Jen. I remember visiting you in the hospital after Charlie was born.


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text:
The Cleanleap story
What is a Cleanleap?
Boris Bahire Kabeja
Boris graduated from Kigali Independent University in Rwanda, with a bachelors in Economics. Since 2011 he has been active in a world youth-run organization called AIESEC based in 126 countries and territories. He worked as an AIESEC vice-president in charge of finance and administration, through AIESEC he was able to engage the Rwandan youth into community based projects to address issues that are likely to affect the local community and events aiming to promote culture diversity among them, he also developed their leadership potential via AIESEC global network. Apart from that he also worked with a micro-finance institution and does freelance writing. He is currently working with non-profit organization called Spark Microgrants whereby he supports rural communities to run their social impacts projects.
From this author
Elephant's poo can save hundreds of elephants
Sri Lanka is one of the South East Asian countries that was devastated by civil war in the past years. On a postive note it ranks as the 4th country in the world for its large number of elephants. These beautiful animals are threatened by human activities such as ivory trading to generate income.
Pico-hydro a new source of energy in Rwanda
In Rwanda, a 'Pico-hydro' refers to a power system with a capacity less than 50kW. Their advantage over other power systems is their cost-effectiveness and simplicity, and come in different designs, planning and installation processes. It is an economical source of power that has proven useful in delivering clean energy to some of the world's poorest and most remote places.
Foldscope: Let us walk with microscopes in our pockets
When I was young, like most children in developing countries, never had a chance or dreamed of using a microscope in primary school, even in high school microscope usage was rare yet I was studying science. This is a major challenge for the scientific schools students and lowers the science knowledge transfer. This challenge is not just because the governments are not doing anything but to have enough scientific infrastructure is very expensive. It has an impressive magnification lens up to 140x and weighs just 8 grams.
Solar milling machine to ease grinding systems
Whether they are consumed as grains or flour they are always products in high demand in Africa - these being cereals such maize, sorghum, millet and wheat. One of the issues with these widely consumed crops is when people want to grind them and consume them as flour, with most remote areas lacking access to electricity and therefore use expensive fossil fuel to run milling machines.
Earthen floors can really make it in Rwanda!
Better housing is one of the key indicators of the economic development, but most developing countries still have a challenge to secure clean homes for their habitants. Dirt floors are often responsible up to 80 percent of diseases. In most cases, parasites live in soil in form of feces and bacteria that can be contagious by either absorption or a simple contact. EarthEnable has introduced a solution to all those problems.
May 09, 2017 New technology to help farmers counter the fruit fly menace
Feb 20, 2015 Northern Pakistan making a Cleanleap with off-grid solar
Aug 16, 2016 Will "vat meat" be the next food miracle?
Climate change, Energy, Agriculture and Food, Waste
Dec 01, 2015 Rwanda: Biogas in prisons saves millions of dollars
Agriculture and Food, Waste
Feb 09, 2015 Packaging solutions to minimise food waste in Africa
Climate change, Energy, Information technology
Mar 19, 2016 A solar minigrid for 100 villages in Western Kenya
Clean technology insights in emerging economies
What's a Cleanleap
© 2016 Cleanleap. All Rights Reserved.


I found this short story between some pages of a dream journal that I kept in 1981. I had typed this story. On a typewriter. Talk about time travel!
At the signal of the latch clicking and a breeze mixing the stale office air with a sudden whiff of outside, I gladly lifted my head from the pile of papers to be filed, and glanced at the woman who pushed open the door. She was neat and brown in a vested suit, with the inevitable business case and crisp walk. She looked around for someone in charge, and after giving her a smile and the polite interval of attention, I returned to the alphabet and file drawer, trying not to look responsible. The head secretary stepped forward. It was a typical scene in the office, but not always was the customer a handsome woman who looked so competent. My attention strayed to her as the business transaction began. I had ascertained that her face was unfamiliar to me, but there was something about this woman that made me lose my place in the file. i tried hard to place exactly who she reminded me of, but I knew no one with that golden brown hair color, and the way she carried herself was very unique. She had a familiar air, the way her eyes seemed to catch every detail caused a bell to ring in some dusty corner of my brain. I was growing rather curious. Was this some kind of deja-vu; the more I looked a her, the more certain I became that I knew her, yet for what reasons I couldn't pinpoint. Well, I couldn't stare all day - she was beginning to feel my eyes on her, and glance dartingly in my direction.
There was nothing to do but get back to work, I was behind as it was. and had a pile of things to run on the copy machine, too. She was delegated to a salesperson and left the outer office. A quarter of an hour later found me shuffling my originals and warming up the machine. Hearing a soft tread behind me, I looked around to see her jerking her head down quickly and perusing a company magazine. She had been studying me! Now that she was close, I could feel a field of almost electric energy exuding from her and holding my attention. I couldn't concentrate on my trivial task. It was as thought some inner mechanism tracker her path around the room behind me. her steps circled until they prudently stopped, and she made a little rush over to where I stood. "Who are you?" she huskily breathed. "Have you ever seen me before?" I dumbly shook my head and felt overpowered by her energy at such close range. There was a long silence as we stared unabashedly into one another's eyes. There was something going on in my head that I can barely explain. It was as if all my though processes were abruptly turned off- the memories, the sensations, the calculation of reality - all was silenced. From somewhere else, although I guess it must have been from my brain, a story began to weave itself. not a memory, in the usual sense, though it was names and images and thought, just like a slow recollection. This entity was "informing" me very faintly of things unknown until now. Set off by this woman's presence, a new part of my mind was shifted into gear, and the parts I'd used til then were stunned at the innovation.
There was no way I could assume she was having a similar experience, and no way to describe to this complete stranger my reaction to her. But she spoke first, grasping my arm as she stuttered, "We- we were together once - do you remember it?" "I don't know you but something in me is recognizing you - when were we together?" "It's the same with me - almost as though we have shared some distant past. I think we could draw it out if we try - just looking at you and talking wih you seems to remind me of a thousand things." She was filled with excitement, and still gripped my forearm. I didn't find it difficult to speak to her, but I felt so confused with the flood of new sensations that I hardly could form an answer. "I..I..guess.. it was long ago.. Could it be another life? I've thought about that but I never know one could be so clearly revealed. Could that be it?" "I'm nearly certain - my mind is filled with images of a kind of camp - a primitive existence - women sitting around fires, in front of huts-" Her eyes still riveted to mine, she added, "Don't look so frightened, Lyana." I jumped back at the shock of hearing the name. It wasn't my own, but the sound of it matched the memories coming out of nowhere. "That's not my name." I was frightened. "It's what I remember," she tried to sooth me, and reached for my arm again. "Yes - it is familiar," I admitted. "Look, this is too much for me to take in right now. Can't we talk this over later?" "Where can we meet tonight? When do you get off work?" In her competent way, she quickly took my phone number and address, told me she'd stop by tonight or call if she couldn't and turned to leave. It wasn't easy to look away from the face. Our eyes were meant to be staring at each other - or so it felt. The strange memory was being warmed by her presence. "Don't worry, Lyana, I'll see you tonight. Let's try to straighten out these new stories and share them later."
Stunned, I watched her leave. Somehow the day stumbled to a close. I was nearly useless to anyone in my stupor of new ideas and the search for some kind of explanation. In the quiet of the car during the drive home, I reviewed my life and tried to arrange my most recent history as I knew it, in order to force my brain to organize itself. I had always felt I had been born somewhere in a realm of reality outside of the world most people see. There was something eerie about the way I managed to deal with the world as if I saw it from other angles. It had been pointed out to me increasingly throughout the years or else I might not have been aware that my consciousness was anything but similar to every one else's. A knowledge of what to expect had toned down my temperament - where there might have been misunderstanding, there was acceptance on my part, when outrages could be counted on, I was placid. It is not the same as being easy-going and having a sympathetic personality. I am blessed, or plagued, as you might judge it, with a personality that can assess a situation with a kind of certainty and play along, assuming the correct behavior that fits in best with the assessment. I had always been vaguely aware that I hadn't learned this ability - that rather, somewhere in the scheme of things, I had a given talent of adaptation. even as a child I felt I was only acting out a role expected by my contemporaries. I felt years older, and never seemed to age within myself. I could count up my various signs of maturation and match them with the expected behavior of my age group, yet there was underneath all of that a timelessness and a distaste for the "immature" behavior that my outer self displayed. This resulted in my blocking most of my childhood from memory - none of it seemed worthwhile at the time, and I merely regarded it as something to pass through and be forgotten. The closer I grew to adulthood, the more I could assess the reasons for my hatred of childhood and my insatiable urge to have it over and done with.
At last reaching an age where I could make decisions and move freely for myself, I felt more than ever in touch with this outer reality, this strange ability to know yet not to know, to have learned without having studied or experienced. And again and again I found myself in situations very familiar: in deja-vus too real to dismiss as mental fabrications or dream memories. I began to read about reincarnation and wondered if I had found a clue at last to the mysterious inner self that was so much wiser than I - or rather than this earthly I.
My mentor at that time had been a wonderful woman, fifty years older than I, who is fascinated with every form of self revelation. She encouraged me to search within myself for answers to the world's mysteries. She isn't in the role of being a teacher, she has the ability to push in the right direction needed at the moment, either intellectually or emotionally. She led me to my study of reincarnation and subsequently to a discovery of a religion meaningful to me. Unfortunately, we no longer lived in the proximity, or I could have seen her for advice on the startling revelatory experience I had just had. On second thought, though, perhaps her reply would be simply a recognition that something had happened, and she would let me take it from there. I was afraid of the unknown ahead of me and behind me.
The sound of gravel crunching under my tires brought me to the realization that I had arrived home: I had driven automatically, barely noting my whereabouts. Still in a trance-like state, I checked the mailbox, took in the paper, and straightened up the mess my cat, Luna, had spent the day arranging. No sooner had I thrown my clothes off and joined Luna, stretching wearily confused, in my sotest and largest easy chair, the knock jarred the purring silence. "Who is it?" I knew. "I could say it's Martha, but you know me as Naomi." Wrapping myself in the afghan, I rushed to the door - her voice made my spine jingle with electricity. Her name fit my new consciousness and released images. They poured out of the secret chamber that held the past - or was it the past? The door flew open and her face and strong body crossed my threshold. She was flowing in a golden shirt and warm brown pants, big and comfortable. I shivered at the sight and from the breeze that accompanied her. "Sorry, I haven't had time to change yet." "that's ok, stay comfy, we have a lot of talking to do."
So I fell back into my chair enclosed in the crocheted blanket, and stared at her for a long time, letting my mind free itself and take me on that journey it was desiring. "What an amazing coincidence that we should meet again like we did. I wonder if this sort of thing happens to lots of people, but they cover it up for fear they are crazy." "Maybe we are crazy.. what exactly is happening? Can we be sure we are experiencing the same thing?" So we decided to take turns, to carefully plot out the stories our minds had released, to fill in the blanks, to discover lost identities, to pick up where we left off, to rekindle (rekindle? what had there been?) our bond.. And we talked all night.
And as the windowsill dust began to glisten and Luna gave up her alternate pacing and purring for a long sleep, and the cars and trucks began to pass on the street, we stood as one and went into the dark curtained empty bedroom, fell onto the bed in a long warm kiss that made me feel I had been interrupted in an embrace years ago, and was finally satisfying what had begun. Our bodies fit like old lovers. The afghan lay on the living room floor, and later in the morning, Luna moved from it to lay upon our entwining legs. Laughter and muffled purrs.