ValerieFireBB omnadreen jasmin. AlisaSexyBush. xMASTERofSIN. Lybimayaa.
3GuysFk1WhhoreGPMissCandyHotMilady4JakeAlisaSexyBush .MisssMilanaTrixiAndDaveAnaisBlackKiraWilson .0BellaTop0XSaraMysteryXCharlotteLiveAnaisBlack .CharlotteLivecutemodel88xsunshine4lovexnaughtywomanx .bitchstudentSteveWildMisssMilanaEvelynneLust .AmiraAdelineStingScorpionMilady4JakeRosalindaCollin .JustItSexWendyWest4UMSTRESSCUMfeederSensualSub4U .ShinnyDanielleDaryaDOlce2HOTFETICHMSTRESSCUMfeeder .3GuysFk1WhhoreGPJoachim69sexyboysex69gorgeouspatty .DaenerysGlamJoachim69MisssMilanaFreyaHope .WarningSexxxTsArmyOfLovers18Milady4JakeDLcollegejock .
DivaSashaCoryskinkycumLindaClaraWendyWest4U .GoddessRinaSubVikiWarningSexxxTsDulcieLooper .Joachim69CutieDerekSubVikiSupremeLust .SupremeLustxMASTERofSINIzabeleDiamondAngelBritney .AllanMaloneLybimayaaHarmonyyKIraStarBb .SweetNina97DonnaRedRKiraWilsonMSTRESSCUMfeeder .twoloversofseEvelynneLustJinxiuabolutosa .SOPHIAFOEVOLAllanMaloneRosalindaCollinDLcollegejock .SexBerylShinyMashaWarningSexxxTsCutieDerek .juanitomorenitoantonialove4uDonnaRedRxnaughtywomanx .KateandDeeaDulcieLooperHotShapeForUKateandDeea .


text:
Showing posts with the label starts
Pope Francis starts first full day as pontiff with prayer
Pope Francis put his humility on display during his first day as pontiff Thursday, stopping by his hotel to pick up his luggage and pay the bill himself in a decidedly different style of papacy than his tradition-minded predecessor, who tended to stay ensconced in the frescoed halls of the Vatican. The break from Benedict XVI's pontificate was evident even in Francis' wardrobe choices: He kept the simple pectoral cross of his days as bishop and eschewed the red cape that Benedict wore when he was presented to the world for the first time in 2005 - choosing instead the simple white cassock of the papacy. The difference in style was a sign of Francis' belief that the Catholic Church needs to be at one with the people it serves and not imposing its message on a society that often doesn't want to hear it, Francis' authorized biographer, Sergio Rubin, said in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press. "It seems to me for now what is certain is it's
Kristen Stewart Mother Jules starts Directorial Debut With K-11
If you've ever wondered where Kristen Stewart gets that charming edge from, just ask her mother! Seasoned Hollywood script-supervisor Jules Stewart makes her directorial debut with K-11, a gripping prison drama that's a far cry from her daughter's Twilight Saga blockbusters. "I can't watch Spider-Man anymore," Jules tells Us Weekly. "I just can't watch six variations of the same thing -- it just makes me a little crazy." Instead, Jules sought out to make a film that she hoped would make people think a little bit more about something unique and different. Set inside a section of the Los Angeles County Jail reserved for LGBT inmates, K-11 explores the politics of race and gender equality through Raymond Saxx (Goran Visnjik), a businessman who is forced to deal with violence, crooked cops and a manipulative transgendered inmate named Mousey (Kate Del Castillo) on his quest to escape K-11, all while piecing together how he ended up there in t

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
La Federação Alagoana de Futsal (conosciuta con l'acronimo di FAFS) è un organismo brasiliano che amministra il calcio a 5 nella versione FIFA per lo stato dell'Alagoas.

Fondata il 21 gennaio 1980, la FAFS ha sede nel capoluogo Maceió ed ha come presidente Mario Luis Moraes Guerra. La sua selezione non ha mai vinto il Brasileiro de Seleções de Futsal, e non è mai giunta sul podio della medesima competizione.

Calcio a 5 in Brasile

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Did I plan everything correctly? Did I plan too much?
No matter what happens with the "planned", it's always the unplanned that is the real adventure!
It didn't take long for London to become one of our favorite cities, in fact I think it landed the top spot almost immediately. I'm not sure what it was exactly, I think just all of everything put together. Now I have mentioned favorite cities before during our past travels, but as in all around favorite, London takes the cake. I hope those who are following along, if you've never been, to put it on your "to-do" list right away… you won't be disappointed.


text:
Home Africa By Region East Africa Girls4Tech workshops introduced in Africa to drive interest in STEM
Girls4Tech workshops introduced in Africa to drive interest in STEM
Girls4Tech workshops introduced in Africa to drive interest in STEM.
Mastercard has introduced the Girls4Tech programme in Africa. The company is working to empower young girls in Africa with Girls4Tech. The Girls4Tech programme was launched in South Africa (both Johannesburg and Cape Town), as well as Kenya, (Nairobi) and Nigeria (Lagos).
Mastercard will offer workshops managed by volunteers from Mastercard, focused on sparking interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and also broadening their view of the future.
Women remain a minority in STEM-related careers, making it more critical to reach young girls early. Mastercard President and CEO, Ajay Banga highlighted in a Women of the World Conference that if half the world's population is unable to find the right opportunity to succeed, how can the world keep growing?
Launching in Africa was an obvious next move for the programmes growth. This is especially clear when you consider that approximately 80 percent of jobs created in the next 10 years will require a blend of STEM, but at the moment only about 30 percent of the science and technology workforce in Africa is comprised of women – indicating a massive gap, and opportunity, that urgently needs to be addressed.
The Girls4Tech initiative has been developed to show young girls around the world that they have opportunities and choices that they may have never considered. Mastercard is dedicated to this, and as such committed to reach 200,000 girls aged 10-13 around the world with the Girls4Tech programme by 2030.
Central to the plan to introduce the Mastercard Girls4Tech programme in Africa is the inclusion of strategic partners. In the case of the Nairobi and Lagos launches, the Youth for Technology Foundation joined forces to touch the lives of young girls and to also engage with teachers and members of the community.
Girls4Tech will continue to roll-out across the continent, with plans to expand the reach in 2018.
Edited by Fundisiwe Maseko
Follow Fundisiwe Maseko on Twitter
Follow IT News Africa on Twiiter
Girls4Tech
Previous articleEnergy service companies are the future for African telecom tower power
Next articleThe short shift to cloud computing


text:
St. Dukes
St Dukes are a four-piece from Glasgow, they formed in 2014 and have been gigging around Glasgow since. They have a varied sound but are best described as Garage Pop Rock.
The band is made up of Max Orr (drums), Lewis Douglas (guitar, vocals), Sarah Connor (guitar, vocals) and Fraser Hamilton (bass).
The band released their debut EP 'Stranger by the Day' in August 2019 to a sold-out show in Glasgow and have since been played on radio stations including BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, by Vic Galloway and Rapal. In early 2021, St Dukes Last Night From Glasgow and together released their debut album in April 2022. It was recorded, mixed and produced by Chris McCrory, between Hermitage Works (London), Chem19 and Green Door (both Glasgow). The next single off the album, 'To Be Home' received radio play on Radio X and was chosen as BBC Radio Scotland's Single of the Week, receiving airplay over the course of a week on The Afternoon Show with Grant Stott.
lastnightfromglasgow St. Dukes - Debut LP
Sale priceFrom £8.00
lastnightfromglasgow St Dukes - Stranger By the Day + Remixes


Sippy cup lids will make transitioning from a bottle to a cup so much easier! Liewood sippy cup lids will fit regular cups and glassware as well as the bamboo cups that we stock. We have 5 different animal designs available – check them all out to find you favourite.


This position requires successful applicants to work both independently and as part of A-Team.
A-Team is considerably dependent on the quality of A-Signature Coffee Brewers skill set. As A-Signature Coffee Brewer provides a vital role in the production of our process.
For the most part A-Signature Coffee Brewers are not required to deal directly with customers. However it may be necessary on occasion.
Previous experience in hospitality/coffee industries is desirable.
Please include: A cover letter along with your resume, detailing why you should become the next A-Signature Coffee Brewer at ACSD!


text:
Bolsonaro Warns Brazil Could Suffer a Political Crisis like the US
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro warned last week that because of a lack of trust in the electoral system – which he has repeatedly claimed is vulnerable to fraud – his country could experience a political crisis similar to the one in the United States.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Named OCCRP's 2020 Corrupt Person of the Year
Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil, has been named the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project's 2020 Person of the Year for his role in promoting organized crime and corruption.
Two Massive Joint Operations Net Over 700 Suspected Gang Members
In two massive operations that spanned three continents, authorities in North America, Europe and Brazil cracked down on transnational organized crime groups and drug traffickers, arresting nearly 750 suspects.
U.K. Seizes $1.58 Million Linked to Flat Bought with Graft Money
The U.K.Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said it has secured nearly £1.2 million (US$1.58 million) last week from the Brazilian owner of a luxury apartment in West London, which is believed to have been purchased with money stemming from Latin America's biggest corruption scandal, Brazil'sOperation Car Wash.
U.S. Authorities Seize $24M from Brazilian Fraud Suspect
Acting on request of the government of Brazil, U.S. authorities seized virtual currency worth an estimated US$24 million which Brazilian authorities claim are proceeds of a fraudulent scheme, theJustice Department announced Wednesday.
Brazilian President's Son Charged with Embezzlement, Graft
Brazilian prosecutors again targeted the family of the country's PresidentJair Bolsonaro, charging on Monday his son Flávio with embezzlement, money laundering and heading a criminal organization, localO Globo newspaper reported.
Behind Vale's Deadly Dams, a Wave of Lobbying
Angelica Andrade will never forget January 25, 2019, the day her sister died.
A member of a rescue team walks next to a collapsed tailings dam owned by Brazilian mining company Vale in Brumadinho, Brazil, Feb. 13, 2019. (Photo: REUTERS/Washington Alves)
Brazil: COVID Graft Probe Targets Governor Critical of Bolsonaro
As part of a COVID-19-related corruption probe, the federal police raided the residence on Tuesday of the governor of Rio de Janeiro, who has been a vocal critic of the way Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been handling the coronavirus crisis.
Brazil's Rio de Janeiro Extends Illegal Unpaid Labor for Inmates
Brazil's state of Rio de Janeiro has widened a "volunteer work programme" for which inmates receive reduced sentences and which human rights groups claim is illegal, the Thomson Reuters Foundation reported last week.
Mexico Busts Former Pemex Chief for Graft
Authorities in Mexico have reportedly arrested a former public official accused of embezzling more than US$1 million from the country's corruption-riddled state-owned oil company.
Suppression of Press Freedom Accompanies COVID-19 Worldwide
As the coronavirus is keeping the world locked down, some governments are using the pandemic as an excuse to crack down on press freedom and access to information.
Organized Crime Enforcing Quarantine in Brazilian Favelas
With Brazil's far-right president Jair Bolsonaro claiming that COVID-19 is just a "little flu" and refusing to impose stronger measures to fight the pandemic, some criminal gangs have started imposing their own "coronavirus curfew" in Rio de Janeiro's favelas.
Hundreds Escape from Brazilian Prisons Amid COVID-19 Lockdown
Hundreds of prisoners have escaped from four open prisons in south-east Brazil after they were told they will no longer be able to leave the facility and nobody can visit them due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Secretariat of Public Security of Sao Paulo announced on Tuesday.
Brazilian Official: Let's Cut Hands of Corrupt Politicians
A Brazilian lawmaker proposed on Tuesday a bill suggesting that politicians convicted of corruption should be punished with amputation of both hands,Reuters reported.
Greenpeace: Brazil Enabling Illegal Logging
Experts have warned that Brazil's decision to remove checks on timber exports will drastically exacerbate illegal deforestation in the Amazon.
Ex-Consultant of Singapore Firm Sentenced for Graft in Brazil
A Brazilian court has sent a former shipbuilding firm consultant to jail for 19 years after judges found him guilty of bribing officials of the state-controlled oil company Petrobras in order to obtain construction contracts.
Brazil: Reporter who Exposed Collusion Faces Criminal Charges
Brazil's State Prosecution Office has filed a criminal complaint against Glenn Greenwald, journalist and co-founder of the Intercept on Tuesday, accusing him of having illegally obtained a series of online chats between prosecutors and the judge who was overseeing Brazil's biggest corruption case, Operation Car Wash.
Paraguay: Corrupt Guards May Have Helped 75 Prisoners to Escape
When officers entered on Sunday morning one of the prison blocks in Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay, they found it completely empty apart from one inmate trying to disappear through a tunnel that was dug from one of the cells to the outside of the prison walls.
Brazilian President Signs Anti-Corruption Bill
Brazil's President signed on Wednesday a new anti-crime bill which introduces harsher punishments for corruption, gang violence and organized crime.
Brazil: Investigators Target Bolsonaro Family, Associates' Properties
Brazilian investigators raided on Wednesday a number of properties connected to President Jair Bolsonaro's son Flávio, a senator, who is suspected of having overseen a corruption racket during his tenure as a Rio congressman, according to local reports.


text:
Q: How to open new ViewController after click(touch) on ImageView? I have TableViewController with a custom cells.
For table is responsible class:
@interface CustomTableViewController : UITableViewController

For cells is responsible class:
@interface CustomTableViewCell : UITableViewCell

The ImageView are located in cell of table.
How I can open new controller when I click(touch) at ImageView inside cells?
As it appears I must to use UIViewController near UITableViewCell that to open new viewController, is not?

A: Usually this kind of stuff is handled inside UITableViewDelegate method didSelectRowAtIndexPath. However the table view calls this method when the entire cell is tapped.
If you want to trigger the action only for the image, you might have to add UITapGesture to the image view. Do not forget that image views have userInteractionEnabled set to false by default. There are two ways to communicate the tap event to the view controller that i can think of right now. Either by delegation or closure. The latter one requires less code.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In modern society, gemstones and crystals are most commonly featured in necklaces, bracelets, rings, and various other types of baubles. For good reason, too: they come in an array of colors and sparkle, creating eye-catching trinkets that can't be ignored.
However, gemstones and crystals can be used for more than just decorative embellishments. In fact, they have been used for centuries to promote healing and wellness. Whether you are looking to relieve the headaches caused by the constant squabbles between your children or you want to boost your energy levels so you can keep up with the kiddos, there's a pretty good chance that there's a natural stone out there that can help you.
Here's a look at some crystals and gemstones that you might want to consider using for their natural healing abilities.
Celestite is a naturally occurring mineral that is beloved for its pale blue hue. This delicate stone is also highly regarded among those who support alternative medicine as a wonderful tool for stress relief.
The delicate blue color of this stone is alone can put your mind at ease and invites instant relaxation. It can also be worn or rubbed on the body to release stress. So, if you're suffering from a tension headache, for example, you can try rubbing celestite on your temples to get some relief.
Nobody has time to be sick. There are tons of over-the-counter remedies available that can help to alleviate the symptoms that are associated with the common cold, the flu, and various other ailments; however, with the relief these medicines provide also comes some adverse effects. Many medications have been proven to damage the liver, for example.
If you want to try an all-natural approach to healing your illnesses, give turquoise a try. Tibetans, Egyptians, and Native Americans believe that this stone possesses highly powerful healing powers. It can promote a stronger immune system, which can not only help you fight off illnesses, but can also prevent you from getting them in the first place.
Black tourmaline is another natural stone that is believed to provide incredible health benefits. Namely, it is thought to provide protection against physical damage that can be caused by electromagnetic fields.
Several scientific studies indicate that frequencies sent out by electromagnetic fields negatively affect the central nervous system and disrupt the chemistry of the brain. Place black tourmaline in your home or office will keep the damaging effects of EMF frequencies at bay. You can also wear it to turn the negative energy sent out by electronic devices into positive energy.
People have been taken with amethyst for centuries, due to the varying shades of purple this gemstone comes in. It's more than just pretty to look at; amethyst can actually help to promote more restful sleep.
It's believed that amethyst has the ability to purify the aura and open up the chakra. Sleeping with this stone on your bedside table or on your person can help to promote calmness, which can allow for deeper, more restorative sleep.
If you're looking for a natural way to improve your health and well-being, consider giving the magic of crystal and gemstone therapy a try.


text:
Q: Is this an okay way of doing a Django Rest Framework Serializer Update Method? I notice the DRF docs say you should pop each field off the validated_data dict in the update method as such:
def update(self, instance, validated_data):
    instance.email = validated_data.get('email', instance.email)
    instance.content = validated_data.get('content', instance.content)
    instance.created = validated_data.get('created', instance.created)
    instance.save()
    return instance

However lets say you had a models with lots of fields. Would it not be easier to do something like the below? Or am I missing something?
    def update(self, instance, validated_data):
        for attr, value in instance.__dict__.iteritems():
            new_value = validated_data.get(attr, value)
            setattr(instance, attr, new_value)
        instance.save()
        return instance

Still learning Python so I'm not sure if I'm doing something unsafe or stupid here.
-- Dean

A: If the field is not a model field then pop it. Otherwise just let it be in the validated_data dict.
for example:
def update(self, instance, validated_data):
    not_a_field = validated_data.pop('not_a_field', None)
    # do what you want here
    instance = super().update(instance, validated_data)
    # do what you want here
    return instance

We popped the non model fields so that we can call the super update method without any errors.


Nobody has voted on this image.
You may purchase the rights to use this image.
"single use" authorises you to use it for a single project. The image will still be available for others to license.
"exclusive" provides you exclusive rights to the image. The image will be removed from the website and will not be available for others to use.
Print size at 300dpi: 12.5" x 18.7"
Print size at 150dpi: 25" x 37.4"


2008- Wichita Art Museum, Wichita Kansas.
2007-Morro Bay Gallery Central Coast National Art Competition.
2013- CAl Luther university opening Kwang fong Gallery.
2014- Waterhouse Gallery 30th year anniversary opening.
2015- Marcas gallery Noches De Altares.


text:
New albums and more: Wild Beasts, Björk, Belle & Sebastian, Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet, Anne Briggs, Whyte Horses, Car Seat Headrest
February 13, 2018 Peter Kimpton
A cornucopia of classical, electronica, rock, pop and alt-indie decorates this week's selection
In albums, classical, electronica, folk, funk, indie, jazz, pop, post-punk, rock, soul Tags new releases, albums, Wild Beasts, Björk, Belle & Sebastian, Laurie Anderson, Kronos Quartet, Anne Briggs, Whyte Horses, Car Seat Headrest
Drunk, dark and humorous: favourite albums of 2017 – part 1
December 30, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Images Father John Misty's Pure Comedy
Father John Misty to Randy Newman, Thundercat to Sleaford Mods, Richard Dawson to DUDS, Björk to Lorde – who is on the first part of this week's reader-voted list, and what is the running theme?
In albums, blues, classical, country, dance music, electronica, folk, funk, garage, hip hop, indie, metal, pop, punk, rock, soul, trip-hop Tags albums, new releases, Black Grape, Shaun Ryder, Kermit, DUDS, Father John Misty, Randy Newman, Nadine Shah, Public Service Broadcasting, Björk, LCD Soundsystem, Lone Taxidermist, IDLES, Royal Blood, Loyle Carner, Richard Dawson, Susanne Sundfør, The Unthanks, Molly Drake, Nick Drake, The National, Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin, Mark Lanegan, The War On Drugs, Perfume Genius, Lorde, The Cravats, Thundercat, Sleaford Mods, alt-J, Jane Weaver, Foxygen, Elbow, Jesus & Mary Chain, Goldfrapp, Future Islands, Kasabian, Mac Demarco, Paul Weller, !!! Chk Chk Chk, Saint Etienne, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Lucy Rose, Lana Del Rey, Girl Ray, Ghostpoet, Grizzly Bear, Tori Amos, Alvvays, Ariel Pink, Marc Almond, Omni, Wolf Alice, Tricky, Liam Gallagher, Four Tet, The The
New albums: Björk, Noel Gallagher, Bdy_Prts, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, plus Neil Young, Richard Hell
November 23, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Björk is back. Still innovative. Still extraordinary.
The queen of Icelandic innovation releases a more upbeat album than her heartbreaking last, Noel's Birds are Flying High, Bdy_Prts, Sharon Jones and two Black Friday vinyl special reissues
Tags new releases, albums, Björk, Noel Gallagher, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Liam Gallagher, Bdy_Prts, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Neil Young, Richard Hell & The Voidoids
New albums: The Killers, Marc Almond, Prophets of Rage, Omni, The Horrors, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Wedding Present, plus Björk
September 19, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Stadium Killers: Brandon Flowers and friends are back
A bountiful selection this week brings you everything from rap-metal righteous anger to soulful 60s torch songs, stadium rock to innovative indie, plus a sneak preview of Björk's new single - her own category completely
In hip hop, albums, pop, rock, garage, metal, indie, soul Tags new releases, albums, Marc Almond, Burt Bacharach, The Action, The Yardbirds, Bobby Darin, Julie Driscoll, Billy Fury, The Young Rascals, Prophets of Rage, Rage Against The Machine, Public Enemy, Chuck D, Cypress Hill, B-Real, Michael Moore, Omni, The Killers, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Horrors, Björk, The Wedding Present


text:
Blockchain-Backed Universal Digital Coupon Moves Into Next Phase
The Coupon Bureau (TCB) has moved into the next phase of development of its Universal Positive Offer File, which uses the Hedera Consensus Service (HCS) blockchain technology to create a universal digital coupon for the retail industry.
The new universal digital coupon aims to provide a standardized and secure mechanism for coupon distribution through a singular, centralized database of offers, supported with a decentralized public ledger, for use across paper, mobile or e-commerce.
It features the new AI (8112) coupon application type, said to enhance coupon security and reduce fraud. Each coupon has a digital fingerprint on the HCS, with redemptions recorded to prevent re-use or reproduction. HCS also monitors the activities of the centralized data exchange.
This advancement will enable the use of the universal coupon online, a feature that's unavailable through the current standard.
As part of the next step, industry organizations have now been provided with a roadmap on the adoption of the AI (8112) standard, as well as the future retirement of the existing legacy standard 8110.
AI (8110), which is based on barcodes, will be phased out over two years once a majority of retailers are compatible with the AI (8112) type format. A significant majority has been defined as 70-75%, based on retailers connected and the pipeline of those that are in line to connect, Jeff Hudson, TCB chief integrations officer, told CGT.
TCB is a non-profit, industry-managed coupon data exchange technology platform that works with many of the largest consumer goods manufacturers and retailers.
"The COVID-19 outbreak has required the coupon and retail industry to find innovative ways to meet consumers' changing behavior, especially in the context of dramatically rising e-commerce sales and online deliveries," said Brandi Johnson, TCB CEO. "There has never been a more urgent need for a universal digital coupon that crosses retail mediums, verticals and purchase environments, to provide consumers and retailers with the added layer of trust to serve their needs. Today, we are proud to roll out the roadmap for sunsetting old coupon formats, and delivering a cohesive couponing experience for both retailers and consumers."
More on Blockchain
Fresh Del Monte Invests In Blockchain Startup To Support Traceability and Tracking
Fresh Del Monte Produce has invested in blockchain startup technology with a view to improving food safety, tracking, and traceability across their products and services.
How Unilever's Blockchain Pilot Will Scale Palm Oil Traceability
Unilever has kicked off a new blockchain pilot to further increase traceability and transparency in its global palm oil supply chain, particularly in that crucial first mile.
From AR to the Metaverse: Heineken and Eyebobs Embrace Digital Experiences
How far will virtual tech go in transforming the brand experience? From new try-on capabilities to completely virtual products, Eyebobs and Heineken are the latest companies to embrace the growing trend.


Misty view of Whale Point, the research lab at the CetaceaLab, situated on Gil Island at the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada.
Our Cetacea Lab office is built on stilts over water on the rocky shoreline of a small bay on Gil Island, British Columbia. There are more windows than walls and they give us a beautiful 180-degree view of the ocean to the south, east and west. The room is filled with iden tification dorsal and fluke photos of orca, humpback and fin whales. We have two desks with computers: one is used to monitor four hydrophones by means of spectrograms, the other for data entry. Radio receivers and speakers on a large cedar shelf enable us to listen to the rest of the hydrophone stations. A sliding door leads onto a deck, on which two spotting scopes are set up to look for whales. The view from the deck is of the ocean and coastal mountains.
Describe the first time you saw an orca in the wild.
I was in a kayak, paddling for the first time, when a pod of orcas passed directly underneath us. They were so close we could make out their black and white markings as they glided by. My first thought was how graceful and gentle these creatures of the sea are. I didn't feel afraid, even though they were much larger than the kayak I sat in – just present and aware that in this moment my life had completely changed.
You've been listening to whales for more than 10 years. Do you feel like you're learning a new language?
I feel like I'm learning many new languages, each one unique to each species of whale and to each season. Whales communicate in a way that humans may never truly understand and I love that this mystery still surrounds their behaviour. I know that if we want to even come close to understanding this language, we will need to think way, way 'out of the box'.
What does the SOSF–Cetacea Lab partnership mean for you and your work?
The SOSF supports the work of Cetacea Lab in an extremely remote location along the north coast of British Columbia, which has given tremendous insight into the habitat use of orca, humpback and fin whales. This data will help us in our goal to have this area designated a marine protected area for whales and for this we are proud of, and grateful for, our partnership with the SOSF.
What achievement in the history of the Cetacea Lab are you exceptionally proud to have been a part of?
We are extremely proud of our relationship with the First Nations and how we have inspired their interest in playing a role in whale research and as guardians within their own territory. This complements our role of bringing to the attention of the world the importance of this area for whales – and all the other inhabitants of the Great Bear Rainforest.


text:
Online Print Edition
Around South Florida
Prayerful Living
CORONA-NNOUNCEMENTS
S. Florida Times, January 11, 2021
Faith leaders urged Congress to honor election result
Associated Press, January 11, 2021
Diddy providing some COVID-19 relief for Miami neighborhood
CIA's new recruitment website aims to diversify spy agency
Florida's 2020 dominated by virus, economy and election
Associated Press, January 6, 2021
Racial wealth gap impedes Black business ownership
S. Florida Times, January 6, 2021
Biden /Harris Victory
Robert Beatty, November 7, 2020
Helpful Tips for Businesses that would like to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), if additional funds are approved.
S. Florida Times, May 1, 2020
Florida Reemployment (Unemployment) Assistance Application
S. Florida Times, April 12, 2020
Debate Night in America: Muted Mics Could Interrupt Trump's Style
zenger.news, October 22, 2020
Trump or Biden: Venezuelans in U.S. Debate Impact of Presidential Election
Fugitive Drug Dealer Captured Despite Plastic Surgery, New Identity
Gas/Electricity
BROWARD App gives graduates virtual reality diploma
S. Florida Times, June 20, 2020
How messaging technology is helping fuel global protests
Associated Press, June 11, 2020
Hackers' new target: Video conferencing with Zoom
Associated Press, April 12, 2020
BROWARD From Pembroke Pines to FAMU Law College grads
Roger Caldwell, June 11, 2020
Students helped by helping teachers
Roger Caldwell, June 7, 2020
FAMU names Keller as new college of law dean
SoFLO Live
Chef Ire
SUSTAINABLE, VERSATILE, GLOBAL, DELICIOUS: Honey's got buzz
Associated Press, March 1, 2020
5-YEAR-OLD DRUMMER garners attention, college scholarships
JAZZ IN THE GARDENS 15TH:
S. Florida Times, March 1, 2020
Tips for organized tax filing
Love Letter: To Black America from Us, Black doctors and nurses
Astronomical celebration for Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
Season of the Arts
JOURNEY INTO JOURNALISM a black woman books it
Associated Press, March 13, 2020
Right to Vote focus of Spoken Soul Festival
Staff Report, March 13, 2020
Stokely: A woman's day is every day
CB HANIF, March 13, 2020
Beatnik24
Elijah coins available
Senate race thrusts 'Black America's church' into spotlight
MF Doom, masked rapper known for complex lyrics, dies at 49
Barbara Bush – Matriach of Republican party
Barbara Howard— April 19, 2018
Barbara Bush, left and President George Bush.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FAMOUS BIOGRAPHIES
Another icon passes. Barbara Bush, matriarch of the Bush family (the most influential family in the Republican Party and in politics) has passed at the age of 92. She will be sorely missed, but she has gone on home to be with her daughter, Robin, who died of Leukemia at the age of three.
I was blessed to have spent a little time with her – just a few hours, but those hours left an indelible imprint on my life. My heart is heavy as if she were a member of my own family. She was, of sorts, because of my love for her son, Jeb.
It was through her son, Jeb Bush, that I got a chance to meet her. Jeb partnered with the Miami Urban League and its president, T. Willard Fair, to create the first charter school in the State of Florida.
The Liberty City Charter School was where I met Barbara Bush. Jeb was on the board as was my oldest daughter, Cheri Howard Perry.
One day the school had a small private event for the kids, several of which were my grandchildren, Cheri and her husband Carl's children. I remember how Jeb would tease me as he reminded me that at the Liberty City Charter School I was not important – my child was and my grandchildren were.
Jeb sat in the middle of the school's playroom surrounded by the students. These little Black kids loved him. They would climb on his back and sit on his lap and wrap themselves in his arms.
But this day, Jeb wasn't the only special person there. He was accompanied by his mother, Barbara Bush. I watched her beam with pride as she looked at her son being swarmed by these little Black kids, hugging and kissing him.
He was the Governor of Florida by then, but today he was just her son surrounded by loving children. And she was so proud. I'm not sure, but I think I remember her wiping her eyes with tears of joy and pride.
She had taught her children how to love and how service was their highest calling. And I was proud that my child was serving alongside her child. Ironically, she passed on my daughter Cheri's 55th birthday, April 17th.
It would hurt me when I moved throughout the Black community or watched CNN and would hear nothing but negative stuff about the Bush family, especially Jeb and President George W. Whatever they said about them always either began or ended with, "You know the Bushes are racists".
Even children would repeat it. I remember one day I was giving a speech to a group of young Black kids in Coconut Grove and when I mentioned that I had done Jeb's campaign for Governor, one little girl yelled, "I hate Jeb Bush". She had to be only about 10 or so. I told the kids about my personal experience with Jeb.
I can only wonder how it must have hurt Barbara Bush to hear people call her sons racists. She didn't raise her children that way. She raised them to love everybody. In fact, most people don't know it, but her son Neil Bush sat on the board of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) for years and raised more money for Black students to go to college than all the other board members combined.
I was privileged to meet three of her sons – Jeb, Neil, and G. W. (as I called POTUS) – and her grandson, Jeb Bush, Jr. and Jeb's wife, Columba.
Barbara Bush was a great lady and a true Christian. This past Sunday, Pastor Jackson preached the sermon, "I'm About That Life", meaning as true Christians, we ought to be about the life that reflects the life that Jesus would want us to live.
Barbara Bush was about the life that Jesus wanted her to live. She taught her children, her grandchildren and her great, grandchildren how to live as true Christians – how to serve. She was a virtuous woman.
Proverbs 31:10 (KJV) says, "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 12:4 (KJV) says, "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband."
Barbara Bush was not only a crown to her husband, POTUS #41, but also to her son, POTUS #43 and to the entire Republican Party. They should remember her legacy and Congress should return to the civility she embodied.
Rest in Peace Barbara Bush. The world will truly miss you. I know I will. I can hear Jesus say, "Servant, well done."
Next post NAACP Statement on Starbucks: A growing climate of racism and intolerance
Previous post Starbucks violates its safe territory
About the Author Barbara Howard
The gang leader speaks
Opinion We need IP protections to beat COVID-19
It's not only viruses that cause epidemics
"Elevating the dialogue"Headline News
South Florida Times
Black players protest basketball courts removal
183rd anniversary Seminole Maroon remembrance of the two battles of the Loxahatchee River, Palm Beach County, Fla., Jan. 9 and 17, 2021
The most influential African American weekly newspaper in South Florida
Beatty Media LLC
Miami Beach Police Department makes History
Staff Report, September 11, 2014
Local NewsNewsVideos
Copyright 2020 Beatty Media, LLC.


My house isn't decorated for Christmas yet, but I've definitely got the Christmas books out of hibernation. Also, Christmas jammies are happening and I'm seriously considering baking some Christmas cookies.
We love love love books, especially holiday-themed ones. I've always wanted to do a Christmas book countdown like my friend April but I can't bring myself to wrap 25 books. Instead, I'm planning to leave the books in a basket near the tree so they can pick out their favorites throughout the day.
We've got a pretty good stash of Christmas books, and I just bought these this past week (Peighton is reallyyyy into Fancy Nancy right now).
I'm always looking for great books to read the girls so I thought I would share our favorites with ya'll + a few that I found that look pretty cute as well!
Pin this for later so you can stuff those stockings!
Absolutely love the "Good Dog, Carl" series.
Thanks for the suggestion, Althea! Definitely going to check it out!


text:
Alternatives to Google Analytics
By Dan Wonder
What Causes Some Internet Pages to Load Slower Than Others on the Same Computer Workstation?
Dramatic Differences in Approach to Social Media Metrics for eMarketers
What Is a Pageview on Blogspot?
What City Has the Most Traffic on Craigslist?
How to Boost Alexa Rank
If you want to generate detailed statistics to note the traffic or traffic resources of your business website or measure online conversions and sales, you may think that Google Analytics is the only way to go. That's because it is the most popular website analytics tool, but it is by no means the only one. There are alternatives out there if you want a second analytics tool that can cross-check for accuracy or redundancy, or is better than Google's offering in some respects.
AWStats and Webalizer
Most Web hosts include two free analytics programs: AWStats and Webalizer. As free software distributed under the GNU General Public License, they analyze server log files to provide website hits and page views in graphical layouts. Although you can see what robots and spiders do on the site, neither AWStats nor Webalizer provide more complex information, which includes what happens after someone visits a Web page.
Clicky advertises itself as a real-time Web analytics service. This means that you are seeing up-to-the-minute data on your website traffic when you log in and view your stats. For instance, if an article from the website goes on the front page of Digg.com, you can see the change in traffic as it happens and react accordingly. This is in contrast with Google Analytics or other tools, which could take up to 24 hours to post new traffic. Clicky also makes it possible for retrieving analysis from a Twitter account. As of 2013, premium service can fetch a monthly fee between $9.99 and $159.99; Clicky also offers a less elaborate, free, service option.
Crazy Egg offers four ways to view clicks on a website: heat map, confetti map, scroll map and overlay report. The confetti map is for segmentation by keyword, country, referral source, time of day and other factors; the scrolling map tracks the scrolling behavior of readers. By comparison, Google Analytics only offers the overlay report. Also, while Google Analytics counts clicks on multiple links to a Web page as one, Crazy Egg differentiates between the links. Monthly plans can cost between $9 and $99 a month, with the option to use stripped-down free service.
According to the tagline at the home page of KISSmetrics, "Google Analytics Tells You What Happened, KISSmetrics Tells You Who Did It." KISSmetrics goes further into Web traffic analysis in that it places emphasis on individual use. KISSmetrics provides information on each visitor's action on the website, which includes clicking and purchasing. KISSmetrics offers a 14-day free trial, with subscription plans that cost between $99 and $499 a month as of 2013.
Source Forge: AWStats
Dan Wonder has been a writer since 2007, contributing to publications such as "Georgetown Research News." He runs his own PR/communications firm and has a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in journalism.
Statistics Probability & Web Analytics
The Advantages & Disadvantages of Analyzing Web Statistics
What Is Referral Traffic in Google Analytics?
How Frequently Does Google Analytics Update?
How to Check How Much Traffic My WordPress Blog Gets
How to Show More Sources in Google Analytics Pivot Report
How to Track Referral Keywords in Google Analytics
How Does Bandwidth Affect Website Performance?
Events vs. Pageviews in Analytics
1 Statistics Probability & Web Analytics
2 The Advantages & Disadvantages of Analyzing Web Statistics
3 What Is Referral Traffic in Google Analytics?
4 How Frequently Does Google Analytics Update?


text:
Two arrested as Nigerian Army destroys illegal refinery in Edo
Operatives of the 4 Brigade Command of the Nigerian Army has arrested two persons in connection with operating an illegal refinery in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.
One of those arrested was said to be a lady who had gone to the illegal refinery with a truck load of gallons apparently to buy diesel and kerosene.
It was learnt that the large illegal refinery camp located in Obazagbon had several storage tanks for crude which was allegedly siphoned from a broken crude oil pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
It was gathered several items, including pipes used for the distribution of the refined products to tankers, were abandoned at the scene by the operators, most of whom fled before the arrival of the army personnel.
Over 300,000 litres of crude oil and other refined products were said to have been destroyed during the military operation.
The Brigade Commander, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Garba, who led the team, decried the degradation of the environment during the illegal refining of crude oil in the area.
Garba said that the special force put in place by the army would not tolerate the sabotage of the economy by those he mischievous persons. According to him, the Nigerian Army would not fail in its responsibility of ridding the state of all forms of criminal activities, including economic sabotage.
He, however, urged the management of the NNPC to install sensors on its oil pipelines or use Air Force helicopters for surveillance.
The brigade commander also commended members of the public for providing information which led to the discovery of the camp.
Navy seizes 80 boats, destroys 50 illegal refineries…
Navy destroys 50 illegal refineries, arrests 80…
EFCC nabs illegal oil dealers with Dangote truck
Police uncover illegal petrol wells in Lagos, arrests two
Tags: Edo State, Illegal refinery, Nigerian Army, NNPC
Tanker drivers' strike: NNPC to meet with union leaders Monday
Tanker drivers' strike paralyses loading activities in Lagos


text:
Chris Walden's Blog
January 2, 2018 June 7, 2018 Chris Feature
2016 might have been a complete dumpster fire, but at least… nah, 2017 was pretty bad too. A smaller dumpster fire, perhaps.
On a personal level, it's been quite a good year. There may not have been a big Japan trip this time, but I can be happy with my improving health (save for, like, the SUPER COLD that's been destroying me for the past week or two) and a handful of other things. I made a list!
Global Game Jam '17
January 27th – January 29th 20xx
Very Scary Scenario is at it again. Now, you might not know that because the game from this year's game jam is kinda still under wraps, but when it's released sometime soon, that's what you'll say. Those rascals!
Follow @vscaryscenario and watch out for news. It's not another idle game.
#ggj17 pic.twitter.com/xKoYquerA5
— Very Scary Scenario (@vscaryscenario) January 22, 2017
I haven't been following American football for very long – about three years or so. But since getting into it, I've made a point of watching the Super Bowl when it rolls around at the start of the year. That even includes the one time I was in Japan for it. This year it was just me and middlest brother watching it at my place, and damn am I glad we did. Not only was it the most exciting game I've ever seen, it's also widely regarded as the best Super Bowl ever. I don't even care for the Patriots, but their comeback was easily a highlight of 2017.
Trip to Mull
April 28th – May 14th 2017
The sorta-annual Scotland board game meet took place in Mull (a friend's house) once again. We made fires, boated, cooked and everything. Cosmic Encounter is a very good game.
pic.twitter.com/nEecHJQuFL
— Chris Walden (@EuricaeriS) May 11, 2017
Trip to Wales
July 23rd – July 29th 2017
I'd never actually been to Wales prior to this trip. I was lucky to be put up for a week with some friends in a very lovely area of Bangor. It reminded me a little of Mull in a way, but perhaps because of the people and the scenery more than staying away from civilisation! It was a fun trip, and given everyone has been quoting Look Around You since, I'd say it was productive, too.
I met this tiny dog
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Baltimore Ravens at Wembley
After the Super Bowl, it became clear that I wanted to see a game in-person. Fortunately London is lucky enough to get a handful of games a year, with the NFL not backing down in their attempts to get American Football Fever to take over our country. On top of that, the Jaguars were playing – the team I decided to follow and play as in games like Madden (fun fact: I only picked them to begin with because they share a name with a bad video game console). The game was completely one-sided, and surprisingly in favour of the Jags. All in all it was a fun day out, and I now have a bunch of Jaguars flags kicking about my living room.
wew pic.twitter.com/29dcdRDWp2
— Chris Walden (@EuricaeriS) September 24, 2017
Cancer Research 2017
November 4th – November 18th 2017
Where do I even start with this. For the third year running, myself and some of the other Very Scary folks got together to raise money for charity by playing video games through the night. We changed our charity this year to Cancer Research UK mostly because we've changed every year so far, but also because cancer sucks and we've all been affected by it in one way or another.
Back when we started in 2015, I made a series of 'stretch goals' for lack of a better term that meant that we'd run the charity streams for an extra hour for every £200 we raised. This was to encourage donations of course, but we stated that we'd do this for every £200 under the impression that we'd never raise more than £200 or £400. I mean, we capped it at £1000 just in case, but any more than £400 would be completely unexpected.
This year we raised £1126. Even more when you throw in gift aid.
It's not an understatement to say that we're still thoroughly stunned at how much money was raised. All I can say is that we have some very generous friends and family who hate cancer and really wanted us to stay up for 29 hours. Thank you!
If you missed it, the archive of the South stream is below. You can also watch the North stream, which features some of the other VSS members, and there's also the Neko Desu All-Nighter, which will be online sometime soon. It was a crazy three weeks and I can't wait to do it all again next year. Save your pennies!
Two down, one to go. pic.twitter.com/RyeOtQraSG
— Very Scary Scenario (@vscaryscenario) November 12, 2017
I didn't actually go to many gigs this year, mostly because my main method of finding them (Last.fm) still hasn't brought back all of its tools for finding them. However, I did attend Distant Worlds when they swung by London for Final Fantasy's 30th Anniversary, and it was a cracker of a show. Sure, they still play Zanarkand and One Winged Angel, but there was such a wide variety of music besides those that I fell in love with the show all over again. They even brought out opera singers and a narrator for a particular Final Fantasy VI song. What a night!
I might not have been to many gigs this year, but I did make a habit of going to the cinema on the regular. This is mostly thanks to All The Anime putting regular anime film showings into UK cinemas, which I'm hoping will continue to be the case into 2018.
A Silent Voice – A phenomenal film. This was the first anime film in cinemas following Your Name which had set one hell of a high bar, but A Silent Voice stands up incredibly well. Mind you, there aren't many similarities outside of them both being tearjerkers and films you need to watch.
From This Corner of the World – Another good film, but one that's harder to recommend. There's a lot to like here, and it approaches the war in a few ways that other animated films don't, but there are better films on the subject matter. Still worth a watch if you get a chance.
The Red Turtle – Ghibli's involvement in this is relatively minor, but I'm including it here anyway because I keep forgetting I've seen it (mostly because MAL doesn't accept it as a film from Japan, which I suppose is fair). I have mixed feelings on this – the majority of the film is intriguing, but I really didn't think much of the ending. Your mileage may vary?
Shin Godzilla – I love this film. I wrote more about it in my end of year Glorio post if you want to read more.
The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl – The Tatami Galaxy but somehow weirder. It's a good film with some phenomenal animation, but be prepared to be scratching your head for some of it!
Fireworks – Another ending I wasn't much of a fan of, but it certainly made me think about it for several days after watching it. Gorgeous visuals at the very least, and plenty of signature head tilting.
Lu Over the Wall – I'd be hard pushed deciding between this or A Silent Voice for best animated film I watched last year, but the films themselves couldn't be more different. Lu is Ghibli-esque, and not just in that Lu (the character) is similar to Ponyo – the colourful art, the exaggerated animations and the lively characters give it that feeling. A very good year for director Masaaki Yuasa, who also worked on The Night is Short.
The Video Game Bit
Last year was a good year for video games. This year kinda knocked that out of the park. Good news considering just about everything else going on was a nightmare. Once again I've been tracking which games I'm playing and beating over on the Backloggery, and for 2017 I had similar goals:
Beat 30 Games
Beat 15 Games bought pre-2017
Beat two unbeaten The Legend of Zelda titles
Beat 50% or more owned Wii U games
Beat 50% or more owned PS4 games
Beating 36 games is pretty good, but it's hard not to get a bit nostalgic for my uni days, where I was throwing together papers and coursework yet still finishing 50 to 60 games. Time to quit the day job and live under a duvet.
Joking aside, I am a little disappointed I missed the pre-2017 games target by 1. It's a goal I try to hit because without it, the backlog just keeps on growing. Perhaps a little harder to keep on top of my game purchases this year.
The Zelda target is probably going away this year. While I do want to play some of the older Zelda titles, it's not quite grabbing me as much as the Final Fantasy goal did. Speaking of which, perhaps I'll start FFXV this year. It's been hard to justify starting that when Square Enix continue to add new content to the campaign.
50% of Wii U games beat? Probably not going to happen. However, I have rejigged my living room to make it easier to use the Wii U if I wish to, so perhaps I'll finish a few this year. I still want to play Tokyo Mirage Sessions, though part of me is still hopeful for a Switch port.
Oh, and it's pretty funny that on the year I drop the goal for it, I buy an Xbox One. I've got some Halo games to get through, courtesy of Santa.
Anyway, enough waffle. Here's the hit list for 2017 and some numbers:
Games beaten: 36 (4 more than 2016, 31 beat, 5 complete)
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA X*
World of Final Fantasy*
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend*
GameCenter CX: Arino no Chōsenjō 2*
The Unfinished Swan*
Pokémon Colosseum*
Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl*
Batman: Arkham Knight*
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth*
Ratchet & Clank*
Flower*
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 FB*
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 RtB
Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness*
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor*
Golf Story
SteamWorld Dig 2
Pokémon Ultra Moon
* denotes a game purchased pre-2017
Like I did last year I won't talk about each one of these, but rather build a top ten to talk about:
My Arbitrary Top 10 List of Games I Played This Year
10. Golf Story – This game released at what seemed like a dangerous time – a week or two following the new Everybody's Golf. It's not just that these were both golf games, though, as EG has established itself as a wacky but fairly accurate golf sim. Golf Story showed it was more than a golf sim, and fortunately seems to have done well for itself. Personally, I loved this game because of its absurd story and insistence of solving every in-game problem with golf. That and it's pretty fun, too.
9. DOOM – I was part of the group that saw this for the first time during Bethesda's E3 conference and thought it was just going to be gratuitous violence, the game. I won't even say I was glad to hear otherwise as I don't really have much nostalgic love for the Doom series, but this new game was an absolute blast. The mere act of killing monsters is so fun that I wasn't bored of it come the end of the game. Looking forward to what they do in the inevitable sequel.
8. SteamWorld Dig 2– The first game was a superb 3DS game, albeit a little short. It meant that jumping into the sequel on the Switch was a complete no-brainer, and it certainly doesn't disappoint. It improves on the first game in almost every way, and the act of exploring is still incredibly fun. A must-get for Switch owners.
7. Finding Paradise – Remember To The Moon? If not, go play that game already. To The Moon was a phenomenal PC game that caught a lot of people off guard with its Game Maker-esque visuals and low price. Beneath that was a fantastic, genuinely moving story about someone's last moments. Finding Paradise is the long-awaited sequel to To The Moon (not counting a few mini-episodes that technically come between) and I'd say it's just as good. There are differences here and there, but ultimately it's another game in the same vein as To The Moon with yet another cracker of a story. Back to waiting for another one!
6. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus – Wolfenstein II, as a game, is pretty middling. The gunplay is fun but not without its frustrations, and a real noticeable gulf in difficulty between easy and normal really soured me on that. However, there's simply nothing comparable when it comes to stories in shooters. This game goes places, surprises you and then goes even further. It's also home to almost all of the 'best moments' in game from this year – there's just so many crazy, incredible moments to be had here. Definitely recommended, just don't feel bad about dropping down to easy.
5. Nier: Automata – I won't lie – this game doesn't speak to me on the same level as it seems to with many, more vocal players. However, it's an incredibly fun game with some phenomenal storytelling that more people definitely need to experience, route B be damned. I'll be keeping an eye on what Yoko Taro gets up to in the future, that's for sure.
4. Super Mario Odyssey – How do you even top a game like Super Mario Galaxy? It's been a month or two since I last played Odyssey, but I'm still not sure whether this or Galaxy tops my 3D Mario list. Regardless, Odyssey is a brilliant, charming game, filled to the brim with tiny details and love from its developers.
3. Persona 5 – This is easily the game I put the most time into this year, reaching just over 100 hours to finish up a playthrough. Is this the best Persona game? Gameplay wise, I'd say so. Story wise, probably not. However, the cast of characters on offer here are a great bunch, and the story is pretty darn good in its own right. Persona 4 is just a tough game to top!
2. Yakuza 0 – I am so happy this game even came out over here. It's gorgeous, amazing fun and easily the best the Yakuza series has to offer in English. The side stories are consistently hilarious, the mini games are addictive and the story is genuinely gripping. Add on top the atmosphere that comes with dragging Kamurocho into HD and it becomes an unforgettable experience. A game worthy of topping a GOTY list, had it not been for one game in particular…
1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – This game was enough to make me buy a Switch in good faith that more games would come out, and that was a decision I made on perhaps 30 minutes of E3 footage. I was happy to keep additional details as a surprise for the full game, and boy was that one hell of an experience. It's not simply a phenomenal Legend of Zelda game, but also one of the best, if not the best, open world game we've ever had. What really made me fall in love with this game is the sheer amount of intricacies accounted for by the developers. Conductivity of metals, realistic leg placement when standing on hills, enemy behaviours… that's not to mention numerous 'wow' moments when you discover you absolutely can do something specific. This is easily the game of the year, and a terrific indication that the Switch is getting an incredible library of games.
Honourable mentions: Pokemon Go, Firewatch, Yakuza Kiwami, Doki Doki Literature Club
I think that's about it. Thank you for putting up with my rambling, and I wish you a very awesome 2018!
article all about me I hope you like it year in review


We would love for you to join our wonderful group of Cosley Zoo members!
To become a member, call 630.665.5534, download a brochure, or sign up online.
All levels of membership receive free admission to Cosley Zoo.
Annual membership fees support the development of new exhibits and provide an environment for unique recreational and educational experiences for children and their families.
Membership is for two named adults living at the same address and their children or grandchildren under the age of 18.
You may also call the zoo at 630.665.5534 or download a brochure to sign up.
Corporate membership provides sponsorship discounts and free admission for your staff. Call us to customize a program for you!
*Please view our reciprocal list (PDF) to see a list of participating zoos and aquariums.
In appreciation for your service to our country, active duty military personnel and veterans are eligible for a 10% discount off a zoo membership. Must purchase in person at the zoo gift shop and provide valid military ID or discharge paperwork at time of purchase.
Military discount cannot be combined with any other discount offerings/promotions.


text:
The SVGGroup allows you to modify SVG groups targeted form Design. Set fill, stroke, strokeWidth.

An SVGGroup should not be created in code. The only way to get an SVGGroup is through the elements property of SVGLayer

	svg = new SVGLayer
	    svg: """
	    <svg>
	      <g id='group' name='Container'>
	        <path id='shape' name='Rectangle' d='M0 0 H 150 V 75 H 0 L 0 0' />
	      </g>
	    </svg>
	    """

	group = svg.elements.group

All properties set on an SVGGroup will be set on the containing paths. When using a property from a group, it will return the value of the underlying SVGPath properties, or null if the underlying SVGPaths have different values for that property.

## group.fill <string>
Sets the fill color of all the paths contained in the group.

	group.fill = "#FFF"

## group.stroke <string>
Sets the stroke color of all the paths contained in the group.

	group.stroke = "#0AF"

## group.strokeWidth <number>
Sets the stroke width of all the paths contained in the group.

	group.strokeWidth = 10

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


NEW YORK — The Toronto Raptors' Dwane Casey and the Houston Rockets' Mike D'Antoni today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in December.
Casey guided the Raptors to a 10-4 record in December, highlighted by two four-game winning streaks that started during the month. Toronto had identical 5-2 records at home and on the road, including a 101-94 victory at the Boston Celtics on Dec. 9 and a 104-98 win at the Utah Jazz on Dec. 23. The Raptors led the Eastern Conference in scoring (112.1 ppg) and point differential (11.1 per game). In December, Toronto set franchise records for largest margin of victory (a 44-point win, 128-84, over the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 3) and consecutive road wins (seven, with the first two victories coming in November).
D'Antoni led the Rockets to an NBA-best 15-2 record in December as Houston tied a franchise record for wins in a month. Behind Kia NBA Western Conference Player of the Month James Harden, the Rockets paced the league in scoring (120.9 ppg) and point differential (12.9). They also made an NBA-high 16.4 three-pointers per game, hitting 111 more than their opponents for the month. Houston opened the month with a 132-127 double-overtime road victory over the league-leading Golden State Warriors on Dec. 1.
Other nominees for the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month were Cleveland's Tyronn Lue, Golden State's Steve Kerr, Memphis' David Fizdale, San Antonio's Gregg Popovich, Utah's Quin Snyder and Washington's Scott Brooks.


A public adjuster is a licensed professional claims adjuster and advocate. We prepare, present, and negotiate your property claim with your insurer. A Public Adjuster is solely your representative, an authority on loss adjustments who you can retain to assist you in preparing, filing, and adjusting your insurance claims.
What is the role of the Insurance Company Adjuster?
As a representative of your insurance company, the insurance adjuster works for them. He will review, audit and adjust the documentation you are required to prepare to substantiate your claim. You can bet that they don't have your best interest in mind.
How can Public Adjusters of Southern California, Inc. help you?
Before the rebuilding process can begin, an accurate and comprehensive assessment of all losses must be conducted. We are skilled in preparing these involved claims to help you receive the full amount to which you are entitled, in accordance with policy terms. But most important, the services of a public adjuster will save you money.
When should you consider calling Public Adjusters of Southern California, Inc.?
Immediately. We will inspect your loss and answer your questions without cost or obligation. Don't wait! The steps you take today could have a profound effect on the outcome of your claim.
Is the first meeting with us free?
A consultation is free and absolutely without obligation.
What is the full extent of Public Adjusters of Southern California, Inc's responsibility?
How is actual loss determined?
Sure, but it stands to reason that the accredited public insurance adjuster who has years of experience and training can do so with more competence than the policyholder. More specifically, a public insurance adjuster will assist you in the preparation of inventories, estimates and other factual proofs of loss. He or she will handle all the necessary details for compiling and filing claims, as required by the terms of your insurance policies. Your public insurance adjuster will also confer, on your behalf, with insurance company representatives and handle all matters essential to a proper and satisfactory adjustment.
Why do you need your own Adjuster?
Your insurance company will utilize the services of a staff or sub-contracted claims adjuster to represent their interests. The skilled professional that your insurer will send to investigate and calculate your loss is paid by the very same company that owes you a fair settlement. The conflict is obvious.
Why should you utilize a Public Adjuster to obtain what is rightfully due to you?
In the event of a loss, what steps should you take?
Promptly report the loss to the agent or broker, or directly to the insurance company and immediately retain the services of an accredited public insurance adjuster to serve you.
How is Public Adjusters of Southern California, Inc. compensated?
A public adjuster will work for a small percentage of your settlement, usually payable after you are indemnified. The difference in your settlement, a direct result of having your own skilled advocate, will most likely cover this fee.
Public Adjusters of Southern California, Inc's charge is a percentage of the insurance company's settlement with you. In the final analysis you will find our service has been financially beneficial to you.
How does Public Adjusters of Southern California, Inc. prepare a claim?
In addition to being skilled negotiators, we use the services of structural appraisers, engineers, accountants, inventory specialists, and other experts as needed. Your insurer will use their own experts to document their opinion of your claim. Again, the conflict is apparent.
What problems most commonly occur while adjusting a claim?
All claims are subject to differences of opinion and policy interpretation. Each claim is unique and includes many variable factors. Generally, differences between the insured and the insurance company arise concerning the scope of damage and type of restoration required, depreciation percentages to be applied, if applicable, and appropriate labor and material costs.
How quickly can you expect a satisfactory settlement?
They lose no time in complying with the policy requirements to obtain and evaluate the facts and prepare the claim. The alert, knowledgeable and prompt service they render often preserves evidence that may otherwise be overlooked or destroyed. The more thoroughly and completely your claim is compiled and prepared, the faster your public insurance adjuster can accomplish an equitable and proper settlement in you best interest. Once a policyholder has witnessed the skill and knowledge of the accredited public insurance adjuster, he or she rarely will attempt to settle a claim without the benefit of their specialized assistance. The public insurance adjuster's most frequent sources of new clients are the recommendations of those they have previously served.
What information will be required to prove your claim?
• Detailed unit cost appraisal to replace building damage with like-kind, and quality.
• Detailed physical inventory and appraisal of all contents, including furniture, fixtures, equipment, and stock, whether damaged or undamaged.
• Insurable value appraisal of building and contents for co- insurance requirements.
• Identification and evaluation of the betterment's and improvements, including your insurable interests.
• Physical depreciation schedule on all property.
• Determination of salvage disposal.
• Analysis of gross earnings value and loss for Business Interruption claim.
• Analysis of accounting records in relation to property values.
Within the fine print of all insurance policies is a complex list of obligations that the policyholder has in the event of a loss. A public adjuster will give you expert guidance. The period right after a loss is a critical time; the right decisions can save your business or home and also protect your rights. The wrong decisions can lead to disaster. One mistake in this complex process can void your policy or severely impair your ability to collect your rightful settlement.
Does your insurance company pay the entire loss of your property?
This depends upon the type and amount of insurance you carry. It also depends on your expertise or the expertise of your representative, not that of the insurance company's adjuster. Many insurance policies may pay more than the amount shown on the declaration page. A qualified expert working for you can determine everything to which you are entitled.
Do we take care of claims other than fire?
Yes. We will assist you in any claims you may have due to windstorm, explosion, and any other insured losses that are sustained (inland marine, business interruption, rental income, improvements and betterment's, commission and profit, reporting forms, additional expense, etc.).
How do you set up a free consultation with Public Adjusters of Southern California, Inc.?
Contact Us either by phone or e-mail and we will set up an appointment to meet with you free of charge and with no obligation.


text:
Héctor Buitrago is the co-member of the multiple Grammy winning Colombian Latin alternative band Aterciopelados.  Buitrago came from a hardcore rock background, heading a group called La Pestilencia, while co-member Andrea Echeverri had been drawn into the fledgling scene through art school friends. Buitrago and Echeverri went on to open one of Bogota's only rock clubs, and their relationship is one Latin rock's most successful artistic partnerships.

Solo career
Hector Buitrago's Conector (a play on words between the homophone con Héctor, "with Héctor", and the word "connector"), released in 2006, marks the first solo project by the Aterciopelados co-founder, following in the footsteps of Aterciopelados frontwoman Andrea Echeverri, whose debut solo album was released a year before. Conector features guest vocals from an array of platinum-selling artists including Julieta Venegas, Álex Ubago and Echeverri, as well as some of Colombia's most acclaimed local musicians including Ever Suárez, Martina Camargo, and Noel Petro. The album is a musical and spiritual journey with Buitrago forming connections between different cultures, ways of thought and life through music. The album combines elements of contemporary rock and electronica with traditional Colombian and global rhythms as well as thoughtful and spiritual lyrics. The first single was "Altísimo" featuring the unlikely vocal pairing of Spanish pop artist Álex Ubago and Echeverri.

Connector II was released in April 2012.

External links
 Hector's MySpace

References

Colombian musicians
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
Latin music songwriters
Nacional Records artists


Four associates from Goodwin share their views on what it takes to become a successful life sciences lawyer.
Chambers Associate: Which practice areas fall within the life sciences sector?
Erini Svokos: On the corporate side, all areas of a corporate practice fall within the life sciences sector. Every life sciences company goes through the life cycle of any other company: formation, internal growth, external partnerships and either an exit or an IPO. I think the defining feature of the sector is the type of clients and the collaboration within the field. Because it's collaborative on the scientific side, it tends to be collaborative on the legal side. The bulk of my practice is working on relationships between our clients and their scientific partners, either academic institutions or other pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies, to develop technology.
Noelle Dubiansky: The life sciences sector crosses over many practice areas. Many of the commercial transactions that I work on are multidisciplinary and involve a multitude of issues. For example, if I'm working on a strategic collaboration between one of my biotech clients and a pharma company, I will routinely consult with colleagues in our corporate, FDA, intellectual property and antitrust practice groups.
James Xu: I focus on capital markets, IPOs, public offerings and public company reporting. Beyond the core of corporate work I just mentioned, FDA and regulatory work is very active and tends to be more prevalent in Boston and Washington, DC. We have a robust IP group and licensing experts who focus on patent prosecution in chemistry and biology. In recent years, securities class actions have also become a hot topic.
"Our clients are brilliant and are on the cutting edge of medicine. Often their goal is to develop therapies to address diseases."
JX: Goodwin has experts in each of these practice areas and we handle every stage of a life sciences company's business. Our clients are brilliant and are on the cutting edge of medicine. Often their goal is to develop therapies to address diseases. It's wonderful we are contributors to that and the work can be challenging due to the nature of the industry. The FDA and their framework can often change quickly. As a firm, we have the depth of knowledge to create a cross-disciplinary group which allows us to work very well together.
CA: What do you enjoy least and most about your work?
ND: I really enjoy working with clients that are working on cutting edge technology and have the ability to make a substantial impact on patients' lives. One downside as outside counsel is that you work with many clients at one time and as a result you often don't see the incremental events that occur after the closing of a transaction.
CA: What are the differences between non-contentious and litigious life sciences work?
ES: The corporate side of the life sciences practice is more collaborative than the litigation side. Though things still can become contentious during an M&A transaction or a joint-venture negotiation, at the end of the day both sides are working toward the same goal of completing the transaction. On the litigation side, both sides are working for the opposite goal.
ND: On the transactional side, we are working with our clients and the other party to come to a mutual agreement on the terms that will govern the relationship between the parties and that will form the basis for future collaboration. It's not a win or lose situation that you often see in litigation.
"Usually most of my clients are in the discovery process of their first drug candidate or have just completed their early clinical trials for a drug candidate."
CA: Can you give us an idea of the clients you work with and why they need lawyers?
ES: I work with mostly early stage biotechnology companies. Usually most of my clients are in the discovery process of their first drug candidate or have just completed their early clinical trials for a drug candidate. I've helped our very early stage life sciences clients work with academic institutions to license technology from a professor's laboratory to be used in the company's scientific development. Because it's such a collaborative field, a bulk of my practice is negotiating collaborations between our life sciences clients and either academic institutions or other biotechnology or pharmaceuticals to research new drug candidates or technologies. Our role is to help navigate those negotiations and alert clients to potential future risks regarding the terms of those transactions.
Sarah Ashfaq: We work with a broad range of life sciences companies, from early stage to mature public companies. Their legal needs vary and can include formation, corporation organization, structuring, assisting with employment-related issues, securing intellectual property, and executing financing transactions.
CA: How does the work differ from more traditional areas of law such as finance?
ES: The differentiating factor of the life sciences sector is that it is focused on discovery and scientific achievement. It's both risky and rewarding. A great scientific achievement or scientific failure can have an extreme effect on the success of a life sciences company. The work differs because the clients are beholden to the science.
ND: Life sciences work is very client specific and tailored to the client's technology. You need to take the time to understand the client's technology and products in order to be able to advise them properly.
CA: Where does the life sciences sector intercede with politics?
ES: Developing a drug requires significant financial investment. Therefore, many of the therapies or technologies our life sciences clients develop are expensive once commercialized and sold to patients. A lot of the intercession between the life sciences sector and politics centers around the price of drugs once they're being sold to patients.
ND: The life sciences sector is a regulated industry so it intercedes with politics in many ways. Depending on the administration and its focus, this can come into play because of the mandates that agencies such as the FDA, HHS and FTC focus on.
"There is a push to incentivize individuals to go into stem fields and encourage additional investment in hard science fields, which is a great thing."
CA: Are there any political developments that have affected the sector recently? Are there any on the horizon?
ND: I don't think we can tell yet. We know that the current administration would like to narrow the Affordable Care Act but I think it's too early to see how this is going to play out and what the consequences will be. It will also be interesting to see how the recent tax reform will impact pharma, medical device and other life sciences companies, and in particular whether it will result in increased spending on new business and development activities.
JX: Government fund cuts impact basic investments and the actual science. There is a push to incentivize individuals to go into stem fields and encourage additional investment in hard science fields, which is a great thing. There are cuts in government funding which could be a negative for the industry we operate in and it's tough to gauge the net impact. Incentives by the government and allocation of resources to the Centers for Disease Control will have an effect on how much companies are able to do as well as investments in early stage life sciences companies.
ES: On larger M&A and collaboration transactions, I typically work with the partners to draft the underlying contracts and assist in the negotiations. It's helpful for the associates on the transaction to have an in-depth understanding of the nuances of the terms of the contract.
ND: Recently I worked on a deal for a client that involved the out-license of a late stage asset from a pharmaceutical company. For this matter, I was the senior licensing attorney running the deal, including the negotiations, with support from a mid-level licensing associate and our corporate team on the equity portion of the deal.
JX: I am currently the lead associate on capital market offerings. I manage a team of associates and I touch on every aspect of a transaction, including, leading calls with clients and underwriters to drafting disclosures for filings.
"It is a very exciting time in life sciences with promising discoveries and developments on the horizon!"
CA: What is the most interesting deal/case you have worked on?
ES: The most interesting deals I work on are collaborations between our biotechnology clients and pharmaceutical partners because each is unique. The terms of the contract differ depending on the specifics of the technology to be developed. Also, because the field is so collaborative, most of the negotiations occur in person, with all of the parties in the same room. The in-person negotiations are the most interesting because it humanizes the counter-party and I think leads to better deals for both sides.
ND: I was one of two lead attorneys that worked on Galapagos NV's global partnership with Gilead Sciences, a strategic collaboration agreement which included an upfront payment of $725 million. The deal was named the Top Biopharmaceutical Licensing Deal of the 2016 Allicense Deals of the Year.
CA: How important is a scientific background to your work?
JX: It's helpful, but not necessary for most practice areas in our field. The exception would be patent prosecution. What's more important is your work ethic and motivation to dig into a client's business.
SA: It certainly helps, but it is not critical. I don't have a science background and I learn by doing. My knowledge base has expanded tremendously since I joined Goodwin and continues to grow as my clients' and their business needs evolve. It is a very exciting time in life sciences with promising discoveries and developments on the horizon!
"I've helped our very early stage life sciences clients work with academic institutions to license technology from a professor's laboratory to be used in the company's scientific development."
"I really enjoy working with clients that are working on cutting edge technology and have the ability to make a substantial impact on patients' lives."
"Incentives by the government and allocation of resources to the Centers for Disease Control will have an effect on how much companies are able to do as well as investments in early stage life sciences companies."
"It's a go-getter culture but it's not cutthroat" – learn about life as a junior associate at Goodwin.


text:
Polling Repository
Navigating Coronavirus Archive
Navigating the Vote Archive
17 Jun Public Opinion on Coronavirus: Navigator Update
Posted at 05:45h in Coronavirus, Uncategorized	by	Isaiah Bailey
Welcome to NAVIGATOR – a project designed to better understand the American public's views on issues of the day and help advocates, elected officials, and other interested parties understand the language, imagery, and messaging needed to make and win key policy arguments.
This release features findings from a national online survey of 1,009 registered voters conducted June 11-15, 2020.
Trump's overall job approval has hit a new low in our tracking as Americans continue to hear negative things about his handling of recent protests and the coronavirus pandemic.
A majority say new cases in the country are increasing, and three in five say their state should reverse reopening if a second wave occurs.
The public trusts state and local government much more than Trump to handle coronavirus, and a majority say that he is moving too quickly to reopen.
Trump Approval Deeply Underwater on Range of Metrics
Trump's approval ratings on his handling of his job overall, health care, the pandemic, and responding to the protests following George Floyd's death remain underwater – and his handling of the economy is also now in the negative.
Among Republicans, Trump's approval of his handling of the protests is particularly low (68% approve/23% disapprove).
Trump Job Approval Hits New Low in Tracking
Approval of Trump's handling of his job as president has hit a new low in our tracking, with nearly three in five Americans disapproving.
Nearly half (49%) of Americans "strongly disapprove" of the job Trump is doing as president, including 44% of independents.
Negative Conversation on Trump Focused on Tear Gassing Protesters, Tulsa Rally, Pandemic Response
Since June 8, negative conversation around Trump has continued to focus on his tear gassing of protesters for a photo opportunity in front of St. John's Church and his response to recent anti-racism protests – while some of the conversation has shifted back toward his reopening of the country too soon and failing to combat coronavirus.
Top Worries: Nursing Homes, Resurgence of Pandemic
While Democrats are more worried about a second wave of coronavirus, the recent spike in cases in 20 states, and police violence, Republicans remain most worried about rioting and looting across the country.
Worries about "more than 20 states" seeing the number of new cases grow are highly partisan: while 95% of Democrats are worried about this issue, only 76% of independents and 64% of Republicans say the same.
Americans Believe Coronavirus Cases are Rising
More than half of Americans describe what is going on in the country in regard to coronavirus as "the number of new cases is increasing," as do more than two in five about case numbers in their own state.
Growing Share Think America Needs More Aggressive Social Distancing
The share of Americans who say the country needs more aggressive social distancing measures has reached a new high since May 7th, with nearly two in five preferring more aggressive social distancing measures.
On a separate question, about half (48%) say that the "worst is yet to come," up 4 points from last week (44%).
Strong Majority Support Reversing Reopening in Second Wave
Three in five Americans support reversing reopening plans and putting back in place social distancing measures if their state were to experience a "second wave" of coronavirus.
Among those who believe new cases are increasing in their state, 73% say their state should reverse reopening plans if they were to experience a "second wave" of coronavirus cases.
Public Believes Wide Variety of Factors Contributing to Spread
A plurality feel that ignoring safety precautions, returning to regular activities too quickly, ending social distancing too quickly, and recent protests are contributing a lot to the spread of the virus.
While Democrats are the most likely to say that people refusing to take safety precautions are contributing a lot to the spread (65%), Republicans are the most likely to say that the protests are contributing a lot (48%).
Virus Spread from Reopenings More Concerning Than Protests
Nearly half of Americans are more concerned about the country reopening too quickly leading to a second wave rather than recent protests leading to a second wave, up 11 points in just a week.
Among independents, the share who are more concerned about recent protests than reopening too quickly has dropped 18 points since our June 8 update.
Trust in State and Local Government to Handle Pandemic Over Trump Increasing
Nearly two in three Americans trust their state and local government more than Trump and the federal government to handle the pandemic, with a 25-point net increase in trust in state and local government since March 23.
Among Republicans, there has been a 34-point net increase in trust in state and local government over Trump since March 23 (from -48 net state and local government to -14).
Trump Losing the Argument on Reopening
More than half say Trump is ignoring expert advice and putting lives at risk.
Democrats are driving this result, although a plurality of independents and some Republicans agree.
About Navigator
In a world where the news cycle is the length of a tweet, our leaders often lack the real-time public-sentiment analysis to shape the best approaches to talking about the issues that matter the most. Navigator is designed to act as a consistent, flexible, responsive tool to inform policy debates by conducting research and reliable guidance to inform allies, elected leaders, and the press. Navigator is a project led by pollsters from Global Strategy Group and GBAO along with an advisory committee, including: Andrea Purse, progressive strategist; Arkadi Gerney, The Hub Project; Christina Reynolds, EMILY's List; Delvone Michael, Working Families; Felicia Wong, Roosevelt Institute; Mike Podhorzer, AFL-CIO; Jesse Ferguson, progressive strategist; Navin Nayak, Center for American Progress Action Fund; Stephanie Valencia, EquisLabs; and Melanie Newman, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
For press inquiries contact:
press@navigatorresearch.org
Navigating the Vote
Race & Racism
The Special Counsel Investigation
© Copyright 2020 by Navigator.


Is there anything worse than having a wild animal invade your home? Actually there is if that animal is a skunk. Wild animals can typically do a lot of structural damage, but a skunk takes it one step further with their stinky spray that could pollute your home. Skunks can also bite and claw, but their main reaction is to spray and run. When a skunk has made your home their home, trying to remove them alone could cause a stinky problem that literally sticks around. You can ensure that your home is skunk proof by hiring professional wildlife animal control for skunk removal in Highland Park area.
Have you smelled skunk spray around your home for quite some time? Chances are you may have a skunk living under your porch or deck. Are there holes in your yard that you cannot identify? Skunks are also known for digging. If your pets have been sprayed, or you keep smelling skunk spray in the vicinity, chances are that your property has been invaded by a skunk.
For obvious reasons, professional skunk removal is a necessity. An expert and skilled wild animal removal team will have all of the tools, cages, and techniques needed to safely remove a skunk from your home. Those that follow EPA and environmental standards can also ensure that the skunk is safely relocated. Skunks are pesky little creatures and there is no spray or repellent that can be used to keep them at bay. They must be trapped so they can be taken elsewhere and relocated into nature. It is wise to relocate them at least five miles from your property, and the professionals are already aware of this and will make sure the animal is returned to an environment that is better for them.
Once a skunk has been removed from your property, then the pros can assist you in making changes to your home to prevent another skunk from trying to live there. Skunks like to live under things such as porches and decks, and they like living in sheds, as well. If you have an exclusion barrier installed they will not wander into these areas. Pet food also attracts them, the experts always advise against keeping pet food outside where other wild animals can be attracted to it.


Changes in tax regulations, due to enter into force on 1st January 2015, mean VAT on digital products sold in the EU will be chargeable in the place of purchase rather than the place of supply. This will mean micro-businesses will forfeit their VAT exemption threshold by doing digital business in Europe and will have to collect VAT from up to 28 different EU states at 75 different rates.
To avoid registering in every country where someone buys their products, businesses are being offered a 'Mini One Stop Shop' (VAT MOSS) which means money will be distributed to the EU for them. However, this involves registering for VAT in the UK, despite the fact that many micro-businesses are VAT exempt. The process will involve submitting VAT returns on a quarterly basis, and determining where customers are located in order to determine the VAT rate that applies.
Dr Scott Cato MEP, who is an economist and passionate about promoting small business, is deeply concerned about the impacts of the new regulations.
"Traders in my constituency of the South West have been saying to me that they will be driven to operate only through whichever large multinational third-party platforms have the infrastructure to handle the new tax regime, and accordingly put up their rates or take a pay cut to absorb these costs – often on tiny profit margins. They will also incur additional costs in paperwork, bureaucracy, and amendments to websites and payment processing.


text:
Mapmaking Politics
Legislative Black Caucus leads effort to undermine redistricting amendment.
Del. Cia Price (D-95) appears at a press conference to announce a bill creating an advisory panel to suggest legislative districts to the General Assembly, a proposal that may end up torpedoing efforts to pass a constitutional amendment creating a bipartisan commission to draw maps. Photo by Michael Lee Pope.
By Michael Lee Pope
Virginia has a horrible history with racial gerrymandering.
It started with the ratification of the Constitution, an effort led by Virginians who wanted to count slaves as three-fifths of a person so representation in the south wouldn't suffer because so many of its inhabitants were non-voting enslaved people. It continued all the way to 2011, when the Republican leaders engaged in a scheme of packing black voters into House districts to dilute their influence elsewhere, a plan the United States Supreme Court later determined was unconstitutional. Now members of the Legislative Black Caucus are worried a proposed amendment might enshrine racial gerrymandering into the Virginia Constitution.
"We have great concerns about having African-American representation in the room for redistricting," said Del. Lamont Bagby (D-74), chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, when the amendment was first proposed last year. "This doesn't guarantee that."
Now Democrats are in a bind. They overlooked concerns of the Legislative Black Caucus last year, striking a deal with Republicans to support a constitutional amendment that creates a bi-partisan commission to draw legislative districts. Then they campaigned on the issue and won majorities in the House and Senate.
Now the politics have shifted, and members of the Legislative Black Caucus are leading the fight to defeat the amendment. They argue that the language of the amendment says membership of the mapmaking commission should "consider" race rather than requiring racial diversity. House leadership may end the General Assembly session this year without even bringing the amendment to the floor for a vote, opting instead to create an advisory panel that would make recommendations lawmakers would be free to ignore.
"It's disgraceful. These folks ran on the issue," said Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-26). "They told people across the commonwealth of Virginia that they supported the Constitutional amendment. They got elected on the basis of supporting it, and if they turn their backs on their constituents there's going to be a price to pay."
THE POLITICS OF REDISTRICTING have been a bugaboo in Virginia politics since the creation of the House of Burgesses in 1619, when 22 members represented four cities and five slave plantations. Two centuries later, members of the House of Delegates are still trying to draw the line between urban and rural, although these days the technology of mapmaking can fine tune the art of packing and cracking — gerrymandering districts with scientific precision. That's one of the reasons groups like Virginia 2021 was created, to take that power out of the hands of the party in power and instead put it into a 16-member commission composed of eight lawmakers and eight citizens.
"It would be the most comprehensive redistricting reform legislation ever passed through a state legislature in this country," says Brian Cannon, executive director of Virginia 2021. "Citizen initiatives have kind of gone around their legislature, whether it's in Utah or Missouri or Colorado or Arizona or others. But this would be the most comprehensive reform ever passed through a state legislature."
The bipartisan compromise was struck in the closing days of the 2019 General Assembly session, an agreement that was negotiated in a secret closed-door conference committee. Those negotiations took place out of the glare of public scrutiny, and the lack of transparency didn't help the process. One provision that emerged out of that conference committee was a feature that was not in the House version or the Senate version, the ability of the Republican-led Virginia Supreme Court to step in and make a final determination. If Republicans decide they want to object to the commission's maps, they can shift responsibility for mapmaking to the Republican-led court.
Photo by Michael Lee Pope
Del. Mark Levine (D-45) voted for the constitutional amendment last year, although now he's become one of its chief critics. He worries Republicans can exploit the rules to have the GOP-dominated Virginia Supreme Court draw legislative districts that would hurt Democrats.
"I can't trust judges to be fair on the basis of the facts and the law anymore," says Del. Mark Levine (D-45). "Those days, if they ever existed, they're certainly gone now."
Levine and other critics of the amendment are supporting a bill introduced by Del. Cia Price (D-95) that would create an advisory panel to suggest legislative districts to the General Assembly. Its basic structure is almost identical to the commission outlined in the amendment, but there's an important distinction. Racial diversity on the panel of mapmakers would be required, a stipulation that's not in the language of the amendment. Price announced her bill at a press conference the first week of session.
"We wanted to make sure that the diversity of the commission was in the language," she said. "We wanted to make sure that the drawing process of the maps that would protect communities of color and communities of interest are in the amendment."
SUPPORTERS OF THE amendment are still trying to salvage the process. They argue enabling legislation for the amendment can solve some of the flaws. For example, they say, a special master can be appointed to keep mapmaking out of the hands of the Republican-dominated Supreme Court. And the language of the amendment does call for consideration of racial diversity, even if it's not a requirement. Furthermore, they say, Price's bill does not take power to draw maps out of the hands of lawmakers. Instead it creates an advisory panel that would make suggestions lawmakers would be free to ignore.
"Because the enabling legislation can tell the commission how to operate and it can tell a court who gets it how to operate. But a stand-alone bill can't tell the legislature how to operate," says Cannon, leader of the advocacy group pushing the amendment. "The legislature could amend a map at any time, and this is what we would be changing in ours."
Critics of the amendment say it's simply too flawed a proposal to be enshrined into the Constitution. They worry about racial diversity on the commission, and they are concerned Republicans might exploit the rules to have the GOP-dominated Supreme Court draw maps to benefit Republicans. For now, Democrats are leaving the door open to considering the amendment, but it's telling that it has not yet come to the House floor for a vote. Democratic leadership has until the end of the session to make that happen, but House leaders don't seem to be in much of a hurry to make that happen.
"I don't know if it's on the calendar," said House Majority Whip Alfonso Lopez (D-49) when asked if the House would vote on the amendment.
An Election about Elections
Opinion: Commentary: Vote Yes on Redistricting Amendment
Arlington Divided Over Amendment One Issue
Opinion: Commentary: Don't Be Fooled by Ballot Language in Virginia
Opinion: Commentary: Vote No on Constitutional Amendment