(AP) -- Yahoo Inc. is delivering on its promise to boost its earnings even though a bumpy beginning to its Internet search partnership with Microsoft Corp. is causing it to fall further behind in the Web's most lucrative advertising market.
Despite the Microsoft problems, the results released Tuesday showed signs of progress, which could help Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz persuade skeptical investors that the company is getting better after years of financial infirmity.
Yahoo hired Bartz in January 2009 to revive revenue growth, a goal that has proven elusive so far. She spent most of the first two years on the job cutting and reshuffling staff, closing unpopular services and cobbling together the Microsoft alliance to reduce Yahoo's costs.
Yahoo's higher earnings have come from primarily from savings that have included paring the company's staff to 13,300 employees, a 6 percent decrease from 14,200 people a year ago. Investors generally prefer to see robust revenue growth, particularly in companies trying profit from an Internet ad market that has been expanding at a much faster rate than the overall economy.
Those expectations mean Yahoo eventually will have to increase its revenue if it hopes to restore investors' confidence. Facebook's increasingly popular online hangout also has been luring visitors and advertising from Yahoo, posing another serious threat for Bartz to confront.
The results released Tuesday showed a 10 percent revenue increase in Yahoo's stronghold - the online billboards known as display advertising - after subtracting commissions. Earnings exceeded expectations, as did another gauge followed closely by Wall Street.
"Our turnaround is proceeding on schedule," Bartz assured analysts in a conference call. "We are very confident we are headed in the right direction."
But an upturn in revenue isn't imminent, partly because the Microsoft alliance isn't providing the payoff that Bartz envisioned. Yahoo's forecast for the current quarter pointed toward revenue slipping again for the three months ending in June.
Investors appeared willing to settle for the earnings improvement while they await a revenue revival. The company's shares gained 50 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $16.62 in extended trading.
With Yahoo's revenue slipping below its levels before Bartz's arrival, the company's stock has been a lackluster performer. The shares have fallen by more than 40 percent since Google Inc. went public in August 2004 and proceeded to establish itself as the dominant force in Internet advertising. At the time of Google's IPO, Yahoo's stock stood at $28.11. Since then, Google's market value has increased by more than fivefold.
Measuring Yahoo's strides in the first quarter proved difficult because of various one-time gains and charges that muddled the comparisons to last year.
Yahoo earned $223 million, or 17 cents share, for the first three months of the year. That's a 28 percent decline from $310 million, or 22 cents per share, a year ago.
If not for unusual items, Yahoo said it would have earned 19 cents per share in the latest quarter compared with 15 cents per share a year ago.
Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected earnings of 16 cents per share. That meant Yahoo topped the expectations guiding Wall Street, no matter how the earnings were chopped up.
Yahoo's revenue fell 24 percent to $1.21 billion. That decline is deceiving because it reflected the divestiture of some divisions and accounting adjustments dictated by the Microsoft partnership.
In a gauge followed more closely by Wall Street, Yahoo's revenue came in at $1.06 billion after subtracting ad commissions. Although that was $10 million higher than analyst estimates, it was 6 percent below $1.13 billion on the same basis last year.
In a long-running problem, Yahoo is still losing ground in search - an advertising gold mine that Google dominates.
Part of the decline stems from Yahoo's financial arrangement with Microsoft. The deal calls for Microsoft's technology to provide Yahoo's search results in return for $12 of every $100 in revenue from the ads placed alongside the recommended links. But Bartz said the Microsoft partnership isn't delivering as much revenue per search as the two sides envisioned.
Until the trouble is worked out, Yahoo is delaying its plans to rely on Microsoft's search ad system outside the United States. Bartz didn't quantify how much Yahoo's revenue per search in the U.S. is lagging projections. She said guarantees promised under Yahoo's contract will cover some of the shortfall through March 2012.
After taking out commissions, Yahoo's ad revenue from search totaled $357 million in the first quarter. That was down 19 percent from the same time year ago.
Yahoo, which is based in Sunnyvale, Calif., fared better in display advertising as net revenue in that category increased to $471 million.
Combined, Yahoo's ad revenue after commissions dipped 3 percent from a year ago to $828 million. Google's net ad revenue surged 32 percent to $6.3 billion in the first quarter.
Google's stock, though, has plunged since the company released its first-quarter report because its expenses are rising rapidly.


text:
Microsoft Bob – oprogramowanie stworzone przez Microsoft celem dostarczenia bardziej przyjaznego interfejsu użytkownika dla systemów Windows 3.1, Windows 95 i Windows NT, mające zastąpić Menedżera programów. Program został wydany 11 marca 1995 roku. Microsoft Bob przedstawiał ekrany pokazujące "dom", z "pokojami" otwieranymi przez użytkownika i zawierającymi znajome obiekty reprezentujące aplikacje – np. biurko z piórem i papierem, książeczka czekowa i inne. Kliknięcie na pióro i papier powodowało uruchomienie procesora tekstu.

Kreskówkowy pies o imieniu Rover oraz inne rysunkowe postacie udzielały wskazówek i porad poprzez "dymki". Rover i kilka innych postaci powróciło w Windows XP jako "Asystenci wyszukiwania".

Po wypuszczeniu na rynek Microsoft Bob był krytykowany w mediach i nie zyskał akceptacji wśród użytkowników, czego skutkiem było zaniechanie dalszego rozwoju na początku 1996 roku.

Historia
Microsoft Bob wydano w marcu 1995 roku (przed premierą Windows 95), jednak wcześniej pojawiały się informacje na jego temat pod nazwą kodową "Utopia". Liderem projektu była Karen Fries, pracująca w Microsoft'cie jako researcher. Stylistyka została opracowana na podstawie prac badawczych profesorów Clifforda Nassa i Byrona Reevesa z Uniwersytetu Stanforda. Melinda Gates, ówczesna żona Billa Gatesa, była odpowiedzialna za marketing produktu. Microsoft wykupił domenę bob.com od pochodzącego z Bostonu technika Boba Antia, którą później odsprzedał Bobowi Kersteinowi w zamian za domenę windows2000.com.

Aplikacje
Bob zawiera różne programy biurowe, takie jak aplikacja do zarządzania finansami oraz edytor tekstu. Interfejs użytkownika został zaprojektowany w sposób upraszczający nawigację dla początkujących użytkowników komputera.

Podobnie jak we wczesnych graficznych powłokach, takich jak Jane, główny interfejs przedstawiany jest jako wnętrze domu z różnymi pomieszczeniami odpowiadającymi wystrojem standardowym wnętrzom, np. kuchni czy pokojowi rodzinnemu. Każdy pokój zawiera dekoracje, umeblowanie i ikony reprezentujące aplikacje. Bob oferuje użytkownikowi całkowite dostosowanie domu – możliwe jest dekorowanie każdego z pomieszczeń, dodawanie, usuwanie lub zmiana położenia wszelkich obiektów. Ponadto użytkownik może również dodawać nowe pomieszczenia lub usuwać już istniejące, a także zmieniać pomieszczenia znajdujące się za drzwiami. Program ma także funkcję oferującą różne motywy wystroju pomieszczeń i dekoracji, takie jak współczesny czy postmodernistyczny.

Aplikacje wbudowane w Boba są przedstawiane poprzez dopasowane dekoracje – np. kliknięcie na zegar spowoduje uruchomienie kalendarza, podczas gdy pióro i papier symbolizują procesor tekstu. Użytkownik może dodać skróty do zainstalowanych wcześniej programów. Skróty te wyświetlane są pod postacią różnych pudełek i ramek fotograficznych.

Bob umożliwiał instalację nowego oprogramowania, ale z powodu niepowodzenia produktu wydano tylko jeden dodatek – Microsoft Great Greetings.

Oprogramowanie wydane w momencie, gdy popularny zaczynał być Internet, oferowało klienta poczty elektronicznej, w którym użytkownik mógł subskrybować płatną usługę MCI Mail dostępną przez połączenie modemowe. Koszt subskrypcji wynosił 5 dolarów amerykańskich miesięcznie za możliwość wysyłania do 15 e-maili w ciągu miesiąca. Każdy e-mail mógł mieć maksymalnie 5000 znaków, a kolejna wiadomość wysłana po przekroczeniu limitu kosztowała dodatkowe 45 centów. W celu utworzenia konta należało zadzwonić pod bezpłatny numer.

Bob miał "Asystentów" – rysunkowe postacie, których celem było pomóc użytkownikowi w nawigacji po wirtualnym domu, wykonywaniu zadań w głównym interfejsie lub wbudowanych aplikacji.

Wydanie Gateway 2000
Około 1995 roku do komputera Gateway 2000 dołączono wersję Microsoft Bob. Wydanie Gateway Edition zawierało elementy marki Gateway na ekranie logowania oraz dodatkowe pomieszczenia i tła, nie występujące w wersji detalicznej. Dodatkowym pokojem był strych, wewnątrz którego było pudełko od komputera Gateway 2000. Oprócz dodatkowych pokoi dołączono więcej ikon, pojawiających się domyślnie w nowych pomieszczeniach.

Odbiór i dziedzictwo
Microsoft Bob był jedną z bardziej widocznych porażek produktów Microsoftu. Mimo zaniechania dalszych prac nad aplikacją jeszcze przed premierą Windows 95, Microsoft Bob nadal był szeroko krytykowany w recenzjach i mediach. W 2017 roku Melinda Gates przyznała, że program "wymagał bardziej wydajnego komputera, niż większość ludzi miała w tamtych czasach".

Bob otrzymał siódme miejsce w zestawieniu 25 najgorszych produktów technicznych wszech czasów opracowanym przez "PC World", tytuł najgorszego produktu dekady przyznany przez CNet, a także znalazł się na liście 50 najgorszych wynalazków opublikowanej przez czasopismo "Time", które określiło Boba mianem "przesadnie ładnego" oraz "systemu operacyjnego ukształtowanego wokół Spinacza". Steve Ballmer z Microsoftu nawiązał do Boba jako przykładu sytuacji, w której "uznaliśmy, że nie udało się nam i pora się [już] zatrzymać".

Pracownik Microsoftu Raymond Chen napisał w jednym z artykułów, że instalacyjne płyty CD z systemem Windows XP zawierały zaszyfrowaną kopię Boba w celu zajęcia dodatkowego miejsca na krążku oraz zapobieżeniu piractwu. Sądzono, że dodanie 30 megabajtów danych (w czasach połączenia typu dial-up) spowolni użytkowników modemów 56k podczas próby nielegalnego pobierania oprogramowania. W listopadzie 2020 roku David Plummer, były inżynier Microsoftu, przyznał się do zamieszczenia zaszyfrowanej kopii Microsoft Bob na nośniku instalacyjnym Windows XP. Instalator miał sprawdzić obecność "drobin Boba" i w przypadku obecności "drobin OEM" na nośniku do aktywacji systemu można było wykorzystać jedynie klucz produktu OEM. Dziennikarz IT Harry McCracken określił to mianem "rozkosznej opowieści w stylu miejskiej legendy", dostrzegając podobieństwa do prima aprilisowego żartu dotyczącego ukrycia Boba w systemie Windows Vista.

Rover, maskotka oprogramowania, pojawił się ponownie w funkcji wyszukiwania plików w systemie Windows XP.

Popularny krój pisma Comic Sans został stworzony dla Microsoft Bob, ale nie został w nim wykorzystany.

Zobacz też
 Asystent Office
 Cortana

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne

  – analiza Boba w kontekście graficznych interfejsów użytkownika
  – opis historii Bobów w IT, począwszy od Microsoft Bob, kończąc na Alice i Bob
  – bardziej wnikliwy artykuł na temat Microsoft Bob

Bob
Powłoki systemowe

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Chinese veterinary drug enterprises integrity and self-discipline commitment
September 3rd, sponsored by the China Veterinary Association, animal husbandry and veterinary drug companies committed by the integrity of the Chinese veterinary drug enterprises in Beijing held by the fourth Chinese veterinary drug industry, the responsible person from the veterinary drug industry to strengthen the integrity of the veterinary drug industry to strengthen the integrity of the drug industry, we have unanimously expressed firm commitment to the factory, the home, and strive to promote China's aquaculture industry, animal products safety and public health security. Tianjin vigor group company chairman Wang Lianmin on behalf of the veterinary drug production enterprise to make production of qualified veterinary commitment, Beijing Taixin Fu Min pig Co., Ltd. technical director on behalf of the Xiao Chu farming make commitment to drug safety. The state's chief veterinarian, President Yu Kangzhen attended the China Veterinary Association commitment activities.
To participate in the activities of the national veterinary drug companies responsible for the consistent commitment to further improve the internal management system and quality management system, strengthen staff training, improve corporate integrity mechanism, from their own, and strive to improve product quality, to strictly control product purchase and sale process, establish a complete sales record, not directly to livestock and poultry breeding business sales of raw materials, do not buy, sell people use drugs, do not sell fake and shoddy products, and resolutely do not operate contraband drugs. To establish a scientific and perfect after-sales service system, the true and accurate service customers, do not exaggerate the publicity, do not arbitrarily change the content of the label, do not mislead the user, and actively guide the safety and rational use of veterinary drugs. We agree that we should uphold science and technology, pay attention to innovation, respect for other people's intellectual property, do not infringe, do not steal other people's patented technology, do not copy, not to steal other people's trademarks, product identification. Strengthen self restraint, actively accept and actively cooperate with the industry authorities in charge of the work, the courage to take responsibility for product quality.
China Veterinary Medicine Association official said, this year is full of opportunities in our country, the State Council issued the "national long-term animal disease prevention and control plan (2012-2020)", put forward China's animal disease prevention and control work of guiding ideology, development goals, major tasks and measures, to the veterinary industry made higher requirements. As China Veterinary Medicine Association has a responsibility, obligation to appeal to member companies, especially the national veterinary drug companies, according to regulations, compliance management, continue to strengthen the quality and safety of veterinary drug awareness, adhere to the credibility of the supremacy, the courage to take social responsibility, strict quality control of raw materials, to ensure that the factory product inspection qualified, do the industry's integrity system construction.
It is understood that this year is the Chinese veterinary medicine veterinary drug enterprise integrity building, before the Chinese veterinary medicine conference, the Association issued a industry integrity and self-discipline of the industry, and the organization of veterinary drug companies to strengthen the integrity of the veterinary drug industry has signed a commitment to the integrity of veterinary drug companies, this time in the Chinese veterinary drug business integrity and self-discipline commitment is one of the activities of the association.
Last chapter:�o Next chapter:China will promote the standardization of the scale of livestock and poultry farming development of synchronous development

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
The Valea Vladului is a left tributary of the river Dâmbovița in Romania. It discharges into the Dâmbovița in the Făgăraș Mountains. Its length is  and its basin size is .

References

Rivers of Romania
Rivers of Argeș County


Home > Blog > When Are Children Old Enough to Wear Contact Lenses?
When Are Children Old Enough to Wear Contact Lenses?
There are lots of reasons why parents consider contact lenses for children. Often, the request first comes from the child who wants to do away with glasses for cosmetic reasons or practical ones, like sports and other after-school activities. But one thing that most parents struggle with is assigning an age when contact lens wear is appropriate for their kids. Surprisingly, research shows that soft contact lenses are just as safe for kids as they are for adults.
A review of past clinical studies looked at the risk of eye complications in patients under the age of 18 years who were wearing contact lenses. The review found that the risk of eye inflammation and infection in children is no higher than in adults, and in the youngest age range of 8 to 11 years, it may be even lower1.
The following are signs you and your child's eye care practitioner should consider when determining whether your child is ready to wear contact lenses.
1– Interest and Motivation. Unless your child needs to wear contact lenses for a medical condition—for example, to slow myopia progression—or to effectively perform certain tasks, the drive to wear contacts should come directly from the child—not from you. If your child hasn't asked you or their eye care practitioner about contact lenses, let them know an alternative to glasses exists but don't push it unless their eye care practitioner says it's advised to help prevent or slow nearsightedness. Chances are, the request is right around the corner. Little children tend to think glasses are cool, but after the novelty wears off and vanity takes hold, many children want to switch to contact lenses. And, speaking of vanity, research shows that contact lenses can greatly enhance a young person's self-esteem. The Adolescent and Child Health Initiative to Encourage Vision Empowerment (ACHIEVE)2 study investigated the psychological effect wearing contact lenses had on children and young teenagers over a period of three years and discovered that contact lens wearers reported an improvement in their physical appearance, acceptance among friends, athletic ability and increased confidence in academic performance.
2– Responsibility. Contact lenses are not toys, so the responsibility factor is important. When considering contact lenses, look at how your child behaves in other parts of life. Does your child take responsibility for homework, glasses, and other personal belongings? Children who demonstrate signs of responsibility in other aspects of their lives tend to be good candidates for contact lenses. It's also worth noting that maturity can't be measured by years. Some 8 year olds are more responsible than an average 12 year old.
3–Cleanliness. You might be surprised to see how much more serious children are about hygiene when they're determined to wear contact lenses. A child who is unhappy with glasses is going to be much more motivated to take good care of contact lenses. But if you're not confident that your child will clean and store contact lenses safely, talk to the eye care practitioner about CooperVision® daily disposables, such as MyDay® or clariti®. 1 day. These contact lenses get thrown out every night and children put on a fresh, clean pair in the morning.
4–Activities and Lifestyle. There are lots of benefits to wearing contact lenses. For example, does your child play sports, spend a lot of time outdoors, or often lose their glasses? Contact lenses are great for sports because you don't have to worry about glasses slipping, and they accommodate protective eyewear and sun wear. According to the ACHIEVE study, contact lens wearers also report an improvement in athletic ability.
Once you feel your child is ready for contact lenses, make an appointment with their eye care practitioner to discuss, so that you can make an informed decision.
1. Bullimore MA. The Safety of Soft Contact Lenses in Children. Optometry and Vision Science, Vol. 94, No. 6, June 2017.
2. Walline JJ, Jones LA, Sinnott L, et al; ACHIEVE Study Group. Randomized trial of the effect of contact lens wear on self-perception in children. Optom Vis Sci 2009;86:222-232.


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Review – The HATCHET Trilogy
Consider me a convert to the cult of Victor Crowley and a proud supporter of the Hatchet Army. About six years ago, Adam Green's HATCHET was released. It may have just been a passing curiosity to mainstream filmgoers. But to a die-hard horror fan like myself, it peaked my interest. This was a time when most of the horror films being released to theaters were severely lacking in creativity (not that we're necessarily in a golden age now). And HATCHET's poster stated bluntly, "It's not a remake. It's not a sequel. And it's not based on a Japanese one." It promised "old school American horror" with a sense of humor to boot. I am curious (red).
Now, HATCHET III has been unleashed and it comes time to take a look at the saga of Victor Crowley thus far. How well have Adam Green and company delivered on their promise?
HATCHET (2007) – This first film sets up the story of Victor Crowley. He was a deformed child who lived in the middle of the swamp with his father. After a cruel prank by some kids on Halloween night goes wrong, the Crowley home burns and while trying to get his son out, Crowley's father accidentally buries a hatchet in his skull. Oops. Since then, it is said that Crowley's ghost haunts the swamp. But this isn't the type of ghost that just passes through walls and rattles a few pots and pans. This one tears people limb from limb.
In a pre-credits sequence, two rednecks (Robert Englund and Joshua Leonard) are hunting gators in a Louisiana swamp when Crowley comes calling. A few days later, a bunch of college students are in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Ben (Joel David Moore – AVATAR) is still reeling from a breakup and is therefore not in the spirit. With his reluctant friend Marcus (Deon Richmond – NOT ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE) in tow, he boards a rickety boat to go on a haunted swamp tour. Also along for the ride is Marybeth (Tamara Feldman), a mysterious girl who is looking for her father and brother, gator hunters who disappeared a few nights prior.
Unfortunately, the boat gets stranded right in the middle of the swamp. More specifically, Victor Crowley's swamp. Crowley shows up, chopping and slashing at everyone in sight.
Adam Green's promised goodies get off to a pretty rocky start. The idea was misdirection. For much of the first half of HATCHET, it seems as though we are watching a comedy. And yes, there is quite a bit here that is funny. There is also a bit that's aggravating as hell. For example, Joel Murray is traveling with a digital camcorder and a couple of pornstars to shoot a video called BAYOU BEAVERS. Whether it makes any sense of not, he has them pop their tops and yell "woo" when in reality, the actresses can't stand one another. Funny. Unfortunately, Mercedes McNab (Harmony of BUFFY and ANGEL fame) is so spot-on with playing the annoying airhead that you're begging for Crowley to come and sharpen his hatchet on her bones. Likewise, Richmond's antics go from being amusing to being cloying pretty quick.
Fortunately, thing do pick up and HATCHET turns into a great horror film midway through, as the sightseers run for their lives, trying to outrun a ghost that is very capable of hurting them. Many slasher films of years gone by usually picked up in their second half while the first was a chore to sit through. HATCHET's beginning isn't a chore per se, but we are relieved when the bloodletting starts and Adam Green shows he's very capable of delivering a few scares. Which leads us to his crowning achievement…
HATCHET II (2010) – Picking up at the very nanosecond HATCHET closed on, Marybeth (now played by HALLOWEEN series veteran, Danielle Harris) narrowly escapes the clutches of Victor Crowley. She is rescued by a local scavenger who leads her to the door of Reverend Zombie (Tony Todd, expanding his cameo from the first film into a full-on starring role). Marybeth is determined to go back to the swamp and destroy Crowley once and for all. The reverend tells the origin of Crowley, including the parts the locals don't mention. He says that he may have a way to break the Crowley curse and assembles a group of bounty hunters for an expedition into the swamp. What the duplicitous Zombie isn't telling Marybeth is that to end the curse requires a terrible sacrifice.
With HATCHET II, Green not only improves upon his perfectly good predecessor He delivers on every promise he made and more. The characters are much more interesting this time out, with nobody pissing and moaning about anything less important than not wanting to die. Green has also assembled an amazing cast. Kane Hodder plays both Crowley and Crowley's father in the HATCHET films. And despite having virtually no dialogue, he does show that he's more than just a stuntman. Hodder is an actor and HATCHET II proves that. Todd is fantastic as Zombie. This is the best we've seen him since the iconic CANDYMAN.
With no disrespect to the talented Tamara Feldman, it was also a brilliant idea to recast the part of Marybeth. Danielle Harris has never been better, and considering what an amazing actress she is, that's saying a lot. She is spunky, feisty and strong but not so much that she isn't horrified by what is going on around her.
Things happen quick and frequent in HATCHET II. Everything has been pumped up a few notches, particularly the tension and the thrills. HATCHET II is positively exhilarating A nice throwback to slashers of previous years? To hell with that. HATCHET II is one of the greatest slashers I've ever seen. Yes, really.
HATCHET III (2013) – Much like the previous entry, HATCHET III picks up the very moment where HATCHET II ends, picking up mid-sound effect even. Marybeth then emerges from the swamp and shows up in a New Orleans police station, covered in Victor Crowley's blood and carrying his scalp. When she tells her story, Sherri ff Fowler (Zach Galligan – GREMLINS 1-2, WAXWORK 1-2) is dubious, even commenting that going back into the swamp after the first night is something no one would be dumb enough to do. He sends his men out there, and what they discover is a massacre, with dozens of mutilated bodies. He goes out to join his men who also come against Crowley when the sun goes down. Meanwhile, the sheriff's ex-wife (Caroline Williams – TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART 2) has been studying the Crowley legend for years and – stop me if you've heard this one – knows the way to stop him. She takes Marybeth against her will into the swamp with the tools to take care of Crowley.
Adam Green opted out of directing HATCHET III, instead hand-picking his editor, B.J. McDonnell to make his directorial debut. And for the most part, McDonnell does a damn fine job. Just like the previous entry, HATCHET III moves at a brisk pace with characters we root for but who wind up getting ground up like chuck anyway.
Harris is great once again and it's awesome to see Galligan and Williams back in action. The script has a few too many holes which makes this not quite the slam dunk as HATCHET II. However, the fact is that it's another winner, in a big, big way.
HATCHET is currently the best horror franchise out there. Who knows if the saga of Victor Crowley will truly end with this third installment or whether he'll continue to stalk the swamp in 2016. If the story ends here, then it's a fitting capper to the trilogy. But should Victor Crowley emerge once again, count me in.
This review also appeared at Film Geek Central.
July 10, 2013 Scott W. Davis1980s, 2013, actor, actress, Adam Green, american horror, angel, Avatar, balls hanging from trees, Bayou Beavers, beheading, belt sander, blair witch project, blood, bloody, box office, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, cameo, Candyman, Caroline Williams, castration, chainsaw, cinema, classic, comedy, controversy, cruel prank, cult, cult classic, curse, Danielle Harris, Deon Richmond, director, entertainment, fantasy, film, film geek, film sets, films, Freddy, friday the 13th, funny, ghost, gore, graphic violence, Gremlins, Halloween, Halloween 4, Halloween 5, halloween II, halloween night, hard horror, Hatchet, Hatchet 3, Hatchet II, Hatchet III, Holliston, horror, horror fan, horror films, independent film, indie, Jason, Joel David Moore, joel murray, Joshua Leonard, Kane Hodder, limb from limb, louisiana swamp, Mardi Gras, Mercedes McNab, michael myers, Monsters, movie, movies, murder, naked, New Orleans, nude, nudity, old school, original, podcast, Porn, repeater, review, rickety boat, Robert Englund, scary, Scott W. Davis, sequel, series, sex, shower scene, sideboob, skank, slasher, splatter, stretch, summer, surprise, swamp, swamp tour, Tamara Feldman, teaser, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to be continued, Tony Todd, topless, trailer, trilogy, unrated, Victor Crowley, violence, Waxwork, Zach Galligan, zombie
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text:
package com.williammora.openfeed.events;

import java.util.List;

import twitter4j.QueryResult;
import twitter4j.Status;
import twitter4j.User;
import twitter4j.auth.AccessToken;
import twitter4j.auth.RequestToken;

public class TwitterEvents {

    public static class OAuthRequestTokenEvent extends Event<RequestToken> {
        public OAuthRequestTokenEvent(RequestToken result) {
            super(result);
        }
    }

    public static class OAuthAccessTokenEvent extends Event<AccessToken> {
        public OAuthAccessTokenEvent(AccessToken result) {
            super(result);
        }
    }

    public static class HomeTimelineEvent extends Event<List<Status>> {
        public HomeTimelineEvent(List<Status> result) {
            super(result);
        }
    }

    public static class SearchEvent extends Event<QueryResult> {
        public SearchEvent(QueryResult result) {
            super(result);
        }
    }

    public static class UserEvent extends Event<User> {
        public UserEvent(User result) {
            super(result);
        }
    }

    public static class RetweetedStatusEvent extends Event<Status> {
        public RetweetedStatusEvent(Status result) {
            super(result);
        }
    }

    public static class CreatedFavoriteEvent extends Event<Status> {
        public CreatedFavoriteEvent(Status result) {
            super(result);
        }
    }

    public static class DestroyedFavoriteEvent extends Event<Status> {
        public DestroyedFavoriteEvent(Status result) {
            super(result);
        }
    }

    public static class DestroyedStatusEvent extends Event<Status> {
        public DestroyedStatusEvent(Status result) {
            super(result);
        }
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Four years of bombings in Sudan's Nuba Mountains
September 2, 2015 By World Watch Monitor Sudan Abyei, African Union, Blue Nile, Darfur, Khartoum, Nuba Mountains, Omar al-Bashir, Sharia, South Kordofan, South Sudan, SPLM-N
A makeshift blackboard in the Nuba Mountains, where Open Doors International reports that 'daily' and 'indiscriminate' bombardment has led to the destruction of Christians' homes, churches, schools, hospitals and crops.Courtesy Open Doors International
The recent trial of nine young Christian women in the Sudanese capital Khartoum for wearing trousers and skirts – deemed "indecent or immoral dress" – brought fresh attention to the plight of Sudan's Christian minority.
The nine women were from the Nuba Mountains in Sudan's South Kordofan state, described by Operation World as "an island of mostly Christian peoples in a sea of Islam".
The Nuba Mountain region was one of the key disputed areas between North and South Sudan, but eventually went to the North, becoming part of the Islamic Republic of Sudan. Since South Sudan's independence in summer 2011, Sudan's government – led by Omar al-Bashir, the only sitting President wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity – has waged a "relentless" bombing campaign on the South Kordofan region, according to a July report by Amnesty International (AI).
"Since the start of the [four-year] conflict, the civilian population in South Kordofan has been living in desperate conditions, fleeing from relentless bombardment and seeking refuge inside foxholes and caves, with limited access to food, water, and medical care," according to AI's report, Don't We Matter? Four Years of Unrelenting Attacks Against Civilians in Sudan's South Kordofan State.
AI estimates that "at least one-third of the state's population of 1.4 million people may be internally displaced … living in precarious and insecure conditions in which food and other humanitarian needs are often unmet and communities remain vulnerable to ongoing armed attacks".
After a recent visit to the area, Christian charity Open Doors International reported that "daily" and "indiscriminate" bombardment has led to the destruction of Christians' homes, churches, schools, hospitals and crops.
For a large part of its history, Sudan has seen armed conflicts within its borders. Religion has played a major role in these conflicts.
While the North has been dominated by Muslim Arab tribes, the South has been dominated by the mainly Christian and Animist African people. Shortly after independence from colonial rule in 1956, the Arabization and Islamization policies of the northern government led to a continuous build-up of tension between the North and the South. When the government implemented Sharia in 1983, it ignited full-scale, brutal civil war that lasted more than 20 years.
In 2005, that war came to an end with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The agreement was a set of protocols that provided a roadmap for peace and included rulings on matters such as governance and oil-revenue sharing. An important facet of the CPA was the fact that it allowed for a referendum on secession for the South. However it lacked clarity on the future of the three border areas (Nuba, Abyei and Blue Nile), which have great strategic, economic and geographical importance, and large oil reserves.
Although these areas had fought for independence alongside the South, the CPA only offered an ill-defined "popular consultation process" for them.
Following the South's secession in 2011, tension immediately started building between the government and the people in the Nuba Mountains because the government remained dedicated to Sharia and constantly frustrated the political process by which the Nuba people could gain greater autonomy. By June 2015 the process had broken down completely and the Sudan People's Liberation Army North (SPLA-N) rebel army took up a battle for greater autonomy, and to a large extent, religious freedom. The Government of Sudan responded with clout and started a brutal campaign to suppress the rebellion.
These bomb fragments were photographed near to a secondary school.Courtesy Open Doors International
In July 2015 The New York Times' Nicholas Krystof and his colleague produced a video report, The Worst Atrocity You've Never Heard Of, which provides a graphic insight into what life is like for the people of the Nuba Mountains.
Amnesty International's report describes how the government has been using unguided bombs, dropped out of the back of Antonov aircraft, which do not allow for accurate targeting to distinguish between military and civilian targets. The Government of Sudan has also been accused (by organisations such as Nuba Reports) of deploying long-range shells (Uishi missiles), incendiary bombs and cluster bombs to burn buildings, grass and crops.
"The evidence that Amnesty International has received indicates that these attacks were either directed at the civilian population and civilian objects or were indiscriminate attacks that led to civilian deaths," says AI's report. "Intentionally directing attacks against civilians not taking direct part in hostilities, or against civilian objects, is a war crime."
In the two weeks before Open Doors International's visit to the region, the charity reported that bombings had killed 41 people and injured many more. A hospital was also destroyed, as well as four churches and one school. Sorghum which the community cultivated the previous season was also burned.
Prior to these attacks, eight other churches had been destroyed, although no-one was killed because the Christians had stopped using the churches and were meeting under trees due to the constant bombings.
"In my area the situation is very bad," a man referred to as "Demas" told Open Doors. "The Antonovs are overhead all the time. People are not sleeping because the Antonovs are bombing at night. People have run to caves. The situation is not good."
"Three weeks ago the aircraft came and attacked my village," added another man, "Filip". "As the people came from school they gathered at a borehole to drink water. An aircraft dropped two bombs on those boreholes. [They] killed one and injured another. Several livestock were killed. Near the borehole there was a rakuba [storehouse] with sorghum. It was burned down along with the village … That village was destroyed."
"Government attacks against civilians … are accelerating at an alarming pace. Rape as a weapon of war has become a daily occurrence. Aerial bombings have displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians," according to US-based Sudan advocacy group, Operation Broken Silence.
Lack of international response
A primary school teacher points out the damage caused by recent bomb strikes, which forced parents to remove their children from the school and to build a temporary hut elsewhere.Courtesy Open Doors International
Amnesty International's report describes how hundreds of civilians have been killed, and thousands injured, through continued attacks that have resulted in a deepening humanitarian crisis, which, Amnesty says, the international community has not done enough to respond to.
"Despite the ongoing conflict in South Kordofan, the serious violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law and the protracted humanitarian crisis precipitated by the Sudan government's refusal to allow humanitarian access to SPLA-N-controlled areas, the international community has not taken any significant action to address the gross and systematic human rights violations or end the war crimes," says AI's report.
International organisations, including the UN, international aid agencies and foreign journalists have faced considerable difficulty in monitoring the human rights situation in the state because of sweeping restrictions by the Government of Sudan on access to the area. These difficulties are compounded by the fact that South Kordofan State has been under a state of emergency since 2011.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in August 2011 prepared a report documenting the wide range of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law and recommended an independent, thorough and objective inquiry, but that recommendation has not been taken up by the UN Human Rights Council or the UN Security Council. The report has not been discussed or acted upon in any way by UN bodies. No action has been taken at regional or international level either, says Amnesty.
The African Union (AU) created the AU High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan and South Sudan (AUHIP) in 2009 to assist the Sudanese parties in the implementation of the CPA. The mandate of this Panel has been successively renewed and is currently extended until December 2015. However, the mediation process between the Government of Sudan and armed opposition groups in South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur, led by the AUHIP, has reached an impasse, since being suspended in December 2014.
In January 2014, after President Al-Bashir announced a "National Dialogue" ahead of elections in 2015, the AUHIP said it hoped "to realise a genuinely inclusive and transformative National Dialogue".
The AU Security Council mandated the AUHIP to convene a meeting at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa in March 2015, but the Government of Sudan did not send a delegation.
A temporary school built by the parents of these children, after their school was twice nearly destroyed.Courtesy Open Doors International
While the crisis is deepening, the government has continued to deny some humanitarian access to the areas it holds (although Amnesty reports that this has improved over the last year).
The last time there was an international initiative on humanitarian access was in 2012 but the agreement expired in November 2012. Several unsuccessful attempts were made between 2013 and 2014 to address the issue in peace talks between the SPLM-N and the Sudanese government, facilitated by the AUHIP. (Restricting the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians is prohibited by customary international humanitarian law.)
AI points out that, according to a Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) report in April 2015, an estimated 3.7 million people in Sudan are 'food insecure', 15 per cent of whom are in South Kordofan. The areas worst affected are those held by the SPLA-N.
In addition to restricted humanitarian access, the bombings have substantially damaged or destroyed civilian areas and objects (such as hospitals, schools and fields) and food infrastructure (such as food stores and sorghum mills).
The fear and displacement caused by the bombings has also meant that local residents are often too afraid to work in their fields, with devastating consequences for food security.
"When we go to cultivate the land, we are always thinking about our children staying at home, fearing that things will happen to them at any time," a woman, referred to as "Aloia", told Open Doors International. "If you want to go and fetch water, you have to walk very far, fearing because at any time you can meet the Antonov that bombs the sources of water.
"Many have run to caves or to the tops of the mountains. People are not coming to church anymore, because they are scared of meeting in one place. When they are together as a crowd they fear that they will be harmed by the bombs and long-range missiles."
The health infrastructure in SPLA-N-controlled areas has also been significantly diminished. There were four hospitals (out of 10 in the state) in the SPLA-N-controlled areas before June 2011. Now only two of them are functioning, and providing service to over 1.2 million people.
Bombings have also had a devastating effect on education. According to AI there were six secondary schools in SPLA-N-controlled areas before the conflict began. Now only three secondary schools remain operational.
5 Things to know about violence in Nigeria's…


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Jeanette McLeod, auch MacLeod (* 1946 in Glasgow, Schottland; † 14. Dezember 2011 ebenda) war eine britische Jazzsängerin, die lange Jahre in Deutschland arbeitete.

Leben und Karriere
MacLeod, geboren 1946 in Glasgow, stand bereits mit vier Jahren als Sängerin auf der Bühne; als Teenager entdeckte sie den Jazz. Inspiriert von Vokalistinnen wie Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday und Sarah Vaughan beschloss sie Jazzsängerin zu werden. 1970 zog sie nach Westdeutschland; in den nächsten sieben Jahren trat sie in vielen europäischen Ländern auf und machte sich als Swingsängerin einen Namen. Zehn Jahre arbeitete sie in Stuttgart mit der Rudi Reindl Big Band und den Stuttgarter Small Stars, mit denen sie 1981 ein Album aufnahm. In den folgenden Jahren trat sie auf Kreuzfahrtschiffen auf. Ab 1990 arbeitete sie mit dem Stuttgarter Pianisten, Bandleader und Produzenten Frieder Berlin zusammen und lebte einige Jahre in Karlsruhe, bevor sie 1999 wieder nach Schottland zurückkehrte. In Deutschland trat sie zuletzt 2009 im Heilbronner Jazzclub Cave 61 mit Axel Lauser auf.

Diskographische Hinweise
Stuttgarter Small Stars & Jeanette McLeod Live (Jazz Point, 1981)
The Voice of Swing with The Frieder Berlin Swing Project (Satin Doll, 1991) mit Peter Reiter, Ernst Hutter, Dieter Goal, Karoline Höfler, Reiner Oliva

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Jazz-Sänger
Brite
Schotte
Geboren 1946
Gestorben 2011
Frau


You may be different, but I find looking for parking spaces in a thriving city, like Milton Keynes, extremely frustrating at times.
With cities across the world developing walkable urban environments at rapid rates, the chances of finding a safe and secure parking space is diminishing by the day. It seems to have become a rare commodity. With that being said, the lack of parking spaces in prime locations has afforded opportunities for businesses and folks alike, to rent out their parking spaces.
Many folks have asked, is securing a parking space a worthwhile expense?
In my experiences, I'd say that it's most definitely worthwhile.
With the ever-increasing cost price of fuel and modern vehicles, cutting your travels costs wherever possible should be a primary consideration.
in the long run, paying for a long-term parking space rental is far less costly than other short-term solutions, which includes parking illegally in unauthorised areas and spaces.
Are you prepared to get fined and penalised for something that is within my control, like parking? Over and above this, you can be banned for parking illegally, especially on pavements!
Here's an interesting article by Express: "Pavement parking isn't illegal, but here is why you can be fined for doing it." Another area where you can save money using long-term parking space rentals is for your insurance. If your insurance knows that your vehicle is parked in a safe and secure environment during the day (and at night), this can help reduce your insurance premium.
Humour me for a moment: Just imagine, rushing to a life-changing meeting in the city – you're already late and traffic is jampacked as usual. Finding a parking space near your destination is a nightmare, even on a good day! I'm sure the outcome of this scenario will not be a pleasant one.
As densely populated areas like the city and airports are usually crowded with other people trying to get to their destinations, the chances of you finding a parking space to get to your journey's end on time decreases exponentially. Having a long-term parking solution will save you time to plan ahead, saving you time.
Are you wanting another reason? Well, you will avoid the wrath of the owner of the illegal parking space that you're hogging. Read this article of an agitated property manager removing an illegally parked car of a woman with a crane! Yes, a CRANE.
I hope that I've convinced you why renting a parking space for long-term use is beneficial – if you'd like to find out more about hiring your own secure parking space with Parking Spaces Rentals, then get in touch today!


In this work, we propose Malware Collection Booster (McBoost), a fast statistical malware detection tool that is intended to improve the scalability of existing malware collection and analysis approaches. Given a large collection of binaries that may contain both hitherto unknown malware and benign executables, McBoost reduces the overall time of analysis by classifying and filtering out the least suspicious binaries and passing only the most suspicious ones to a detailed binary analysis process for signature extraction.
The McBoost framework consists of a classifier specialized in detecting whether an executable is packed or not, a universal unpacker based on dynamic binary analysis, and a classifier specialized in distinguishing between malicious or benign code. We developed a proof-of-concept version of McBoost and evaluated it on 5,586 malware and 2,258 benign programs. McBoost has an accuracy of 87.3%, and an Area Under the ROC curve (AUC) equal to 0.977. Our evaluation also shows that McBoost reduces the overall time of analysis to only a fraction (e.g., 13.4%) of the computation time that would otherwise be required to analyze large sets of mixed malicious and benign executables.


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Same old story?
By Rowan Frame2018-05-04T07:15:00+01:00
Chemistry can make us think things through from a new angle
Source: Statecowboy / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Chemistry can help us see things from another perspective
Every day it seems we learn something new about the air we breathe. And what we learn is often worrying. Scientists are finding more and more evidence for direct links between air pollution and illnesses like heart disease, lung cancer and asthma. The European Environment Agency estimates air pollution causes more than 400,000 premature deaths every year in Europe. And a recent report suggests air pollution is the fourth highest cause of death globally.
In the UK, activists don't feel leaders are doing enough about the issue. Earlier this year, campaign group ClientEarth took the Welsh government to court for breaking EU-set NO2 limits. The UK government has now lost its third court case brought against its air pollution policy. Thanks to the same group, the High Court ruled that current policy is sufficiently inadequate to be unlawful. And in March, environment experts resigned from the Scottish government's clean air strategy team out of frustration from lack of progress.
Air pollutants and their sources are commonly studied in secondary level chemistry courses (see Taking care of the air (p16) for classroom resources and curriculum links). But, despite its real-world relevance, secondary teachers have told me it can be difficult to keep students interested in the topic. The same goes for other big environmental challenges, like climate change.
Air pollutants and their sources are commonly studied in secondary level chemistry courses (see Taking care of the air for classroom resources and curriculum links). But, despite its real-world relevance, secondary teachers have told me it can be difficult to keep students interested in the topic. The same goes for other big environmental challenges, like climate change.
The scale of the topic is so large and impersonal, that it can feel like it's too big to care about. There's no nice, neat personal story, and there's no fast-paced drama. Also, when we think of environmental issues – such as air pollution – we think we already know how to solve them: we're still using too many polluting vehicles, still burning too much fuel.
But new research reported in Science did grab my attention (p12). Scientists have found a major source of a particular kind of pollutant – volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – that has been almost entirely overlooked so far: household products like cosmetics and cleaning agents. Apparently, VOC emissions from these sources are actually two or three times greater than we estimated. These products actually emit VOCs into the air on a comparable scale to vehicles.
But new research reported in Science did grab my attention. Scientists have found a major source of a particular kind of pollutant – volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – that has been almost entirely overlooked so far: household products like cosmetics and cleaning agents. Apparently, VOC emissions from these sources are actually two or three times greater than we estimated. These products actually emit VOCs into the air on a comparable scale to vehicles.
It's not necessarily good news that there is another emission source that we haven't been paying enough attention to. But it is important to point out the optimism of the researchers when they spoke to Chemistry World about their findings. They highlighted that now we've discovered this issue, we can do something about.
This research has changed how I think about air pollution, and rekindled my interest in the subject. There is much more nuance to the kinds of chemicals that pollute the skies than I'd realised, and much more nuance to where they come from. I'm also looking at some of the things in my life in a new way.
I think this illustrates a particular quality of chemistry. It's undoubtedly cool when physicists point out some mind boggling fact about the universe, but chemistry can make us look at our everyday lives in a totally new light. In doing so, it can help us pay attention to the way in which big processes are constantly being shaped and built by the small ones.
Milking the potential of proteins to provide safe drinking water
Removing arsenic from tap water to make it safe to drink
Decolonising chemistry teaching and learning
Start a conversation in your school with these articles and tips
The essential elements of a quality science education
Discover the key aspects of science teaching to ensure students are scientifically literate
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Because students think it's boring
Work the classroom
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Revenge Porn Bill passed by Government
Posted in New Legal Developments on 07 May 2019
In February 2017, Jody Cantillon wrote a piece on the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, or as it is more commonly referred to, "Revenge Porn". The article concluded that although there is nothing wrong with a person sharing an intimate photo or video with a loved one, it is safer not to.
On the 1st May, 2019 the Government announced that they were working on a new Bill, banning "Revenge Porn".
"Revenge Porn" arises where private and intimate photos or videos of a person ("the Victim"), which were exchanged between two parties in a relationship, with the presumption that they are not to be distributed or "shared" with others by the other party in the relationship ("the Abuser"), but are in fact subsequently shared by the Abuser. This violation of privacy and common decency can have a devastating impact on the Victim's life and has led to suicide.
While it is rare that such photos appear on Facebook or Twitter, it has happened. Usually the Abuser publicises these photos or videos by sending them to other people via applications such as Snapchat or Whatsapp. The Abuser may also put the material on pornographic websites.
The new Bill announced on the 1st May, 2019 is a very important and necessary piece of legislation which apparently is being dealt with by the Government as a priority. One cannot ignore the significant trauma such an offence can cause, not to mention the harrowing psychological injury which often follows. This Bill adds weight to a previously grey area. Placing the offence on statutory footing should act as a clear deterrent for an Abuser as they will now face criminal prosecution. It important to note however that the Bill has not been signed into law and is not in force at present.
Until such time as the Bill is enacted, the following are some of the legal options which may be open to Victims:
It could be argued that the Abuser is guilty of Harassment, under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. Under the 1997 Act, a person harasses another where "he or she, by his or her acts, intentionally or recklessly, seriously interferes with the other's peace and privacy or causes alarm, distress or harm to the other, and his or her acts are such that a reasonable person would realise that the acts would seriously interfere with the other's peace and privacy or cause alarm, distress or harm to the other".
However, there must be an element of persistence on the part of the harasser and this could be difficult to prove in a Revenge Porn situation as it may be a one-off act of evil.
There are some potential civil avenues open to the Victim, including:
Seeking damages for the breach of the Victim's right to Privacy and Confidence.
Seeking damages for the breach of the Victim's Data Protection rights.
If the pornographic photo is a "selfie", there is an argument that it could be copyrighted to the Victim and as such, any unauthorised distribution of the photo would be a breach of the Victim's rights.
Seeking an Injunction requiring the Abuser to take down the photo/video from any sites on which it was posted by the Abuser.
Seeking an Injunction to prevent further distribution of the photo/video.
There may also be potential for bringing an action against the host of a website who publishes the material. However, this is a bit of a legal minefield.
Should a Victim become aware that intimate photos of them are on a specific website, they should immediately contact the Website Administrators notifying them of the offending material and ask that it be removed immediately. The Website Administrators must then react and assess the material and decide whether it should be taken down.
Thankfully, this latest Bill from Government means clarity is on the horizon along with, more importantly, justice for Victims. Those who consider sharing Revenge Porn will, finally, get the message!
Sarah McNulty, Trainee Solicitor


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Dean Tate disappearance: Everything we know so far about the missing Burnham-on-Sea resident last seen in a pub
He was last seen at Somerset and Dorset pub in Burnham-on-Sea on Friday (February 23)
The search for missing Burnham-on-Sea resident Dean Tate has entered its 11th day.
His disappearance is described as "out of character" and the police are concerned for his welfare.
Here is everything we know so far about his disapperance.
The search for missing Burnham-on-Sea resident Dean Tate
Police issue appeal to find Dean
Everything we know so far
Community search for missing man
Emergency services continue search
What has happened?
The missing 40-year-old was last seen in the Somerset and Dorset pub on High Street, Burnham-on-Sea at 10pm on Friday (February 23).
Police officers have worked alongside Burnham Coastguard, BARB Search and Rescue, Devon and Somerset's special rescue team and the RNLI to search the area around the Somerset resort.
(Image: Burnham Coastguard)
A Police helicopter was utilised in the search in Highbridge on Sunday morning (Febuary 25), police officers reportedly searched properties in Burnham-on-Sea and police divers searched Apex Park on Sunday (March 4).
Local residents have gathered to search the Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge areas and a Facebook page has been set up to find Mr Tate.
The page, Dean Tate Community Searches , has organised community searches, shared posters of Dean Tate and highlighted areas where volunteers have already searched.
Dean is described as being white, 5ft 8ins tall, of medium build with short dark brown hair and brown eyes.
The missing 40-year-old was last seen wearing a heavy brown leather Superdry jacket with a black short-sleeved T-shirt with badges on the arms, black jeans and black Nike trainers.
He is engaged with his long-term partner and is a father.
Avon and Somerset Police have released new photos of the 40-year-old man in a bid to help find the father and fiancee.
Where has been searched?
The Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge areas have been extensively searched to find Mr Tate.
Posters of the missing Burnham-on-Sea resident have appeared around the town centre, including shop windows
Searches have been undertaken in the Brean and Berrow areas.
Burnham Coastguard, BARB Search and Rescue, Devon and Somerset's special rescue team and RNLI lifeboats searched the area's beaches and riverbanks.
Police officers have reportedly searched sheds and residents' gardens for any trace of Mr Tate.
DS Boyd said: "Specialist police search advisors are coordinating the search and we're using a significant amount of resources, including the police helicopter and dogs.
"Colleagues from Avon and Somerset Search and Rescue, the HM Coastguard, the RNLI, Avon Fire and Rescue and Devon and Cornwall Police are also assisting our efforts to find Dean."
As the search for missing Dean Tate from Highbridge continues police have released new images of him to aid with the search (Image: ASP)
He added: "We strongly urge any members of the public who wish to help, to think of their own personal safety before looking for Dean.
"There are several watercourses in the area and the water at this time of year can be icy cold and very dangerous to even the young and fit.
Police issue appeal for information after man is assaulted outside Burnham-on-Sea shop
"Please don't put yourself at risk."
I have information about him - what should I do?
If you see Dean, or have information which could help the police, call 101 and provide the call handler with the reference 5218042329.
Highbridge


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Baltic migration experts: Coronavirus crisis changing cross-border movement ({{contentCtrl.commentsTotal}})
Tallink ship departing from Tallinn. Source: Siim Lõvi /ERR
Migration trends in the Baltics are changing and that the coronavirus crisis is changing cross-border movement, researchers from the Nordic and Baltic countries said at a conference on Friday.
The experts said migration has calmed down in the Baltics in recent years and that there has been a turnaround in Estonia -- the number of people arriving exceeds the number of emigrants. Most people are leaving Estonia for Finland, but already last year, fewer Estonian-speaking people moved to the northern neighbors than came back from Finland.
University of Tartu professor Tiit Tammaru said a decrease in return migration is also expected in the coming years, but Estonia has now become a destination country for migration, both with the help of immigration from the European Union and third countries as well as due to return migration.
In the case of Finland, Tammaru pointed out that those moving there are at present rather settling in the vicinity of the Helsinki in Uusimaa, where it is easier to visit Estonia. "We call this phenomenon Uusimaalization -- three out of four people moving from Estonia to Finland settle in this region," said Tammaru, explaining that the readiness for a permanent return is mainly due to personal reasons and not the economic cycle.
Results from studies carried out 10 years apart show the same number of people plan to return to Estonia. "Altogether 28 percent of Estonians living in Finland plan to return, 31 percent do not plan to do so and the rest do not have a clear plan," Tammaru said.
Tiit Tammaru Source: Siim Lõvi /ERR
The plan to move back home is supported by a higher age and the fact that the person or family has real estate in Estonia.
The situation in Latvia and Lithuania is still more difficult. Lithuania is on the verge of a migration turnaround, while in Latvia, it is expected to take years. Lithuania is the country most affected by emigration in the entire European Union. An estimated 500,000 people have left.
Vilnius University Professor Donatas Burneika said large-scale emigration has been partly inevitable, as a third of jobs have been lost in Lithuania in recent decades, in some regions as much as half.
In the case of Latvia, increased return migration can also be seen. According to Zaiga Krisjane, a professor at the University of Latvia, more than 40 percent of those coming to Latvia are returnees.
An increase of study migration is also helping to improve the migration balance in Latvia as people are coming to study from the European Union, the countries of the former Soviet Union and Southeast Asia. The number of students coming to Latvia from the Nordic countries has also increased.
Affect of coronavirus on migration
The migration conference also discussed the abrupt changes brought about by the COVID-19 crisis, which, for many people, severely limit their usual day-to-day cross-border activities.
There is not enough political will in the Nordic countries to make full use of the potential of transnationals, that is people who often cross state borders, it was found in a panel touching upon the situation in the Nordic countries.
Experts also noted that there was too little knowledge about the practices of such people, who constantly cross borders, and that a more in-depth study of everyday migration would help to make better use of the resulting economic opportunities.
There was concern in the air about the cloudiness of the long-term vision. However, according to the panelists, the prevailing understanding in the Nordic countries is that everyone will benefit from cooperation between countries and the promotion of the free movement of people and companies.
The migration conference is organized by the Nordic Council of Ministers' representation in Estonia, the University of Tartu and the Estonian Ministry of the Interior along with cooperation partners.
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Front Page Money Politics U.S.WND EXCLUSIVE
Harry Reid's enriching 'good old boys' network
Trail of scandals, corruption trace back decades
By Jerome R. Corsi
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., the Senate majority leader
NEW YORK – At the center of a Nevada "good old boys" network of movers and shakers through which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and his family have profited for decades is the Las Vegas-based law firm Lionel Sawyer & Collins.
Some have questioned how Reid, who arrived in Washington in 1983 with a net worth estimated at $1 million, has managed to amass a net worth estimated recently to have peaked at $10 million. He receives as Senate majority leader a top Senate salary set at an annual base of $193,400.
Researching Reid's relationship with Lionel Sawyer & Collins, WND found a trail of scandals and corruption that trace back decades, surfacing again recently in the Bureau of Land Management standoff with Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy. As WND reported, Reid had championed a proposal by a Chinese energy corporation to fund and own a massive $5 billion solar energy project in Nevada utilizing land currently used to graze cattle.
Nevada law firm hired four Harry Reid sons
The Los Angeles Times reported in 2003 that four of Reid's sons – Rory, then age 40; Leif, 35; Josh, 31; and Key, 28 – all worked for Lionel Sawyer & Collins.
The law firm's website currently lists Reid's son Rory J. Reid as a full partner and "a shareholder at Lionel Sawyer & Collins."
The article, titled "In Nevada, the Name to Know is Reid," pointed out that a supposedly bipartisan law designed to protect the environment and create Nevada jobs was found by the newspaper to have benefited real estate developers, corporations and local institutions that had paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbying fees to Lionel Sawyer & Collins as well as to Washington-based lobbying firm where Reid's son-in-law Steven Barringer worked.
Reporting that Harry Reid is "in a class by himself," the newspaper said that in the previous four years, firms connected with his son-in-law and four sons, including Lionel Sawyer & Collins, had collected more than $2 million "in lobbying fees from special interests that were represented by the kids and helped by the senator in Washington."
The newspaper concluded: "So pervasive are the ties among Reid, members of his family and Nevada's leading industries and institutions that it's difficult to find a significant field in which such a relationship does not exist."
At the center of the 2002 scandal that prompted the Los Angeles Times coverage was a payment by the Howard Hughes Corp. of $300,000 to Barringer's Washington-based consulting firm "to push a provision allowing [Hughes Corp.] to acquire 998 acres of federal land ripe for development in the exploding Las Vegas metropolitan area."
Reid recruited Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., to join him in calling then-House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt to allow the bill to go through.
The bill to allow the Hughes Corp. to purchase the federal land in Las Vegas passed the House late on Oct. 16, 2002, without a vote. The next evening, Reid championed the bill through the Senate just before the Senate adjourned for a lame duck session.
The China connection
On April 12, WND reported Rory Reid had been appointed the primary representative for EEN Energy Group, a Chinese company fronting for Chinese government interests that had recruited Sen. Reid's support to build a $5 billion solar panel plant on a 9,000-acre Clark County desert plot in Laughton, Nevada.
On April 3, 2012, Bloomberg News reported that Rory Reid and former Gov. Richard Bryan both worked on the ENN Energy Group project while whey were still attorneys at the Lionel Sawyer & Collins firm, according to Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak and documents obtained by Bloomberg.
In the same story, Bloomberg also reported Lionel Sawyer & Collins gave $40,650 individually and through its political action committee to Sen. Reid over the previous three election cycles. Lionel Sawyer & Collins' political action committee contributed $2,000 in 2010 and $5,000 in 2008 to the Searchlight Leadership Fund, a political action committee that listed Reid as an affiliate.
On April 17, WND reported Reid's efforts to convert an increasingly large share of Nevada's public land to renewable-energy projects while systematically closing coal-fueled power plants in the state. It turned out that the federal land on which Cliven Bundy grazed his cattle was needed as a "mitigation area" to move endangered species that were threatened by the Reid-sponsored solar energy projects.
WND reported ENN Group canceled the solar power project after NV Energy informed the company that with 39 producing renewable energy projects currently in operation, an additional project under construction and another in the development phase, ENN Group could easily meet state law requirements to utilize renewable energy sources without the solar power facility the ENN Group had proposed to build.
Reid's Asian connections in casino deal
In 2013, an international controversy developed when Sen. Reid took a strong interest in pushing the Department of Homeland Security to grant visas to some two dozen Asian investors seeking to renovate the property that was once the Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas into the SLS hotel and casino project, represented by Reid's son Rory Reid, acting in his capacity as a Lionel Sawyer & Collins attorney.
In December 2013, the Washington Times reported the Obama administration overruled career DHS officials to expedite the visa applications for the Asian investors after Sen. Reid and his staff intervened.
According to documents obtained by the Washington Times, the pressure exerted by Reid's Senate staff in Washington was so intense that an official of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS, reported it prompted a phone shouting match, politically charging a normally bureaucratic review process conducted internally within DHS.
"This is going to be a major headache for us all because Sen. Reid's office/staff is pushing hard and I just had a long yelling match on the phone," USCIS Legislative Affairs official Miguel "Mike" Rodriquez warned in a memo written to DHS officials Dec. 5, 2012.
DHS reacted negatively to the Asian investors organized under the federal government's EB-5 investor program that allows foreign nationals to obtain preference obtaining U.S. visas in return for large financial investments made in the United States.
Evidently, Sen. Reid reached out personally to telephone the top official at USCIS, Alejandro "Ali" Mayorkas. Reid urged him to set in motion a DHS and Department of Commerce process that would result in allowing the Asian nationals seeking to invest in the SLS Hotel to jump to the front of the EB-5 line, bypassing an internal EB-5 review process that considered the Asian foreign investors "suspicious" for undisclosed reasons.
The Washington Post reported that Reid's Washington staff repeatedly made the case to federal bureaucrats that the SLS Hotel would lose its proposed funding for its renovation if USCIS failed to expedite the visas.
"As you can imagine, this property is pretty important to Southern Nevada," the newspaper reported Michael Vannozzi, then a top aide to Reid, wrote to DHS officials to apply pressure. "It will probably be the only 'new' property opening up on the Strip for some time, and if their $300 million senior lending facility from JP Morgan Chase expires because these visas aren't processed expeditiously, it will be a huge setback for the project and the 8,600 jobs associated with it."
The Washington Times reported that within a few weeks of Reid's personal intervention, the USCIS processed the EB-5 visas, allowing the SLS Hotel to obtain the major funding offered by JP Morgan Chase.
The newspaper reported the force behind the SLS Hotel renovation project was Sam Nazarian, the Iranian-American founder and CEO of SBE Entertainment. Nazarian previously was known for owning and operating several prominent Los Angeles nightclubs and lounges that had acquired the Sahara in 2007.
Nazarian disclosed to the Washington Times the money raised through the EB-5 financing was "far above" the $115 million in EB-5 capital the SLS Hotel renovation project required to proceed.
While the SLS Hotel controversy was developing, the DailyCaller.com reported Dec. 12, 2013, that a 2012 "Year in Review" piece published by the Lionel Sawyer & Collins website promoted the benefit of working with Rory Reid on the SLS Hotel deal.
"When Sam Nazarian, one of the most creative entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry, turned his sights on Las Vegas, he recognized the opportunity to revitalize a former Strip iconic property into a new exciting resort and the benefit of working with Rory Reid of Lionel Sawyer & Collins," the law firm's 2012 year review boasted.
"Mr. Reid's previous experience as Chairman of the Clark County Commission is put to good use assisting with general legal advice for the project and helping navigate through the maze of regulators required to access economic incentives offered on the state and local levels."
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported in February that Nazarian was planning to open the SLS Las Vegas on Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29 through Sept. 1, with Stockbridge Capital Group of San Francisco being a co-owner with SBE Entertainment of the casino-hotel property.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal pegged the cost of the SLS Las Vegas renovation at $415 million, noting the initial financing of $300 million was secured in April 2012, followed by SBE and Stockbridge Capital Group obtaining in February 2014 the final $100 million financing needed to start construction.
The Wall Street Journal disclosed in February 2013 that SBE Entertainment Group had obtained $150 million in EB-5 investment commitments from Chinese and Thai citizens and other would-be immigrants who each agreed to make $500,000 debt investments in the project in exchange for a green card.
The Wall Street Journal further quoted Jon Bortz, chairman, president and chief executive of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, a group owning 26 U.S. hotels, as calling the EB-5 program a "travesty." Bortz said it allows foreigners to buy U.S. visas ahead of other less-affluent applicants, with investment management firms using the EB-5 financing to add hotel rooms when demand does not justify the construction, simply because the financing "is cheap because it's from people who aren't looking for a return on their investment."
The American Dream Fund, operating the USCIS-approved EB-5 regional center in Los Angeles, Portland and Las Vegas, was responsible for soliciting from Asia the EB-5 funding required for Nazarian to proceed with the SLS Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The Harvey Whittemore scandal
Reid's reputation was tarnished by his support of Harvey Whittemore, a Lionel Sawyer & Collins partner who in 2005 was portrayed as one of the most powerful men in Nevada.
Reid strongly backed a Whittemore scheme in 1998 to develop some 43,000 acres of the Coyote Springs Valley, 50 miles north of Las Vegas alongside U.S. Interstate 93, into Nevada's largest master-planned community. The $30 billion resort metropolis was slated to have 159,000 homes, 5,700 acres of commercial development and 15 golf courses, as reported by Peter Waldman in BizJournals.com in 2008.
Reid got involved to assist Whittemore in removing a mile-wide federal right-of-way for electric power lines planned to run right through the Coyote Springs property.
In 2003, Reid sponsored legislation that would have moved the electric power right-of-way through a federally protected "wilderness study," with the move hidden in technical language within a larger bill that ultimately raised the ire of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
When theplan failed, Whittemore and his investors paid $10 million to buy the power-line easement.
Next, Reid wrote legislation to provide a separate water-pipeline right-of-way to Lincoln County and the Southern Nevada Water Authority that cleared the path across hundreds of miles to bring Great Basin ground water to Whittemore's planned Coyote Springs Valley development, as well as to Las Vegas, Waldman reported.
"Over the past four years, Reid has used his influence in Washington to help the developer, Nevada super-lobbyist Whittemore, clear obstacles from Coyote Springs' path," the Los Angeles Times reported in 2006.
"At one point, Reid proposed opening the way for Whittemore to develop part of the site for free – something for which the developer later agreed to pay the government $10 million."
The Los Angeles Times noted that as the Coyote Springs project advanced, Reid received tens of thousands of dollars from Whitmore in the form of campaign contributions and contributions to his Searchlight Leadership Fund PAC that Reid used to finance the campaigns of Democratic Party colleagues.
The newspaper also reported Whittemore helped advance the legal career of two of Reid's four sons, with one of them, Leif Reid, serving as Whittemore's personal lawyer representing the developer's Coyote Springs project in negotiations with federal officials. Rory Reid, meanwhile, took a lobbying job with Whittemore while Rory was serving as the chairman of the Nevada Democratic Party.
Today, the Coyote Springs project is "little more than a single Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course surrounded by desert, abandoned infrastructure and thousands of empty housing footprints 25 miles from the nearest town," wrote Daniel Foster for National Review in May 2013. Whittemore's business partners in the deal are suing him for $60 million they claimed he embezzled from them to donate to himself or to politicians he wanted to finance
On Oct. 1, 2013, Whittemore was convicted to two years in federal prison and fined $100,000 for violating Federal Election Commission laws by fraudulently funneling $133,000 to Reid in 2007 for Reid's 2010 reelection campaign. In the contest, Reid defeated tea party Republican challenger Sharron Angle by five points, despite having trailed in the polls through most of the election campaign.
Reid's reaction to Whittemore's sentencing was: "I am not a criminal."
According to a U.S. Department of Justice press release in May 2013, Whittemore had devised a scheme to unlawfully use 29 family members, employees and their spouses to contribute over $130,000 of his money to Reid's reelection, circumventing the maximum individual contributions of $2,300 for a primary election, $2,300 for a general election and a maximum for one candidate of $4,600.
Lionel Sawyer & Collins, the largest law firm in Nevada, was founded in 1967 by attorney Samuel S. Lionel and former Nevada Governor Grant Sawyer, like Reid, a Democrat.
The law firm has a reputation in Nevada for representing top mining, energy, property development and casino interests, as well as being a strong supporter of Reid and his family.
Jerome R. Corsi
Jerome R. Corsi, a Harvard Ph.D., is a WND senior staff writer. He has authored many books, including No. 1 N.Y. Times best-sellers "The Obama Nation" and "Unfit for Command." Corsi's latest book is "Partners in Crime."
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PITTSBURGH, February 14, 1996 — George H. Taber, chairman, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center System (UPMCS), and Honorable Robert J. Cindrich, chairman, The South Side Hospital (TSSH), today jointly announced the signing of an agreement for the acquisition of the assets of TSSH by the UPMCS.
TSSH is a 225-bed acute-care community hospital that has been in existence since 1889 serving the south Pittsburgh communities. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), this area's major academic medical center, operates 1,221 acute-care beds, and is expanding its health care market share in an effort to increase efficiencies in the delivery of health care to the greater Pittsburgh community.
George J. Korbakes, TSSH president, stated that the goal of the administration and Board of Directors of TSSH has been to continue to provide quality health care services to the south Pittsburgh communities and serve the charitable purpose of promoting the well-being of that community. Due to the fast changing health care market not only in Pittsburgh, but in the United States, networking with larger facilities is imperative for stand-alone hospitals such as TSSH in order to remain viable.
The agreement signed today culminates almost four years of strategic direction initiated by TSSH Board of Directors. Following two years of a deliberative process, the UPMC was selected by TSSH for an affiliation agreement. Over the past 20 months the two organizations developed a relationship that demonstrated that they shared many of the same philosophies and principles which proved to be beneficial to both organizations and the communities they serve. With the continuing evolution of the health care market, TSSH Board of Directors concluded that the UPMC has the expertise and resources to continue the principles of the hospital's mission and to keep jobs in the local community.
"This acquisition is a significant opportunity for the UPMC to join with TSSH in serving the needs of the South Side community," said Jeffrey Romoff, UPMC President. "As TSSH becomes a part of the UPMC System, we will be able to deliver the finest quality health care in the most cost-effective and efficient manner."
The agreement provides for the establishment of an independent foundation, funded from the proceeds of the transaction, which will support the health care and related needs of the south Pittsburgh communities. Furthermore, the assets and operation of TSSH will be transferred to a new not-for-profit subsidiary corporation to be named the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, South Side.
A transition team has been formed, made up of representatives of both organizations, to finalize the details of the transaction, which is expected to be concluded on or before April 30. The new University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, South Side will remain an acute-care facility.


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New On-Campus Student Community Celebrates Grand Opening at Northern Arizona University
FLAGSTAFF, AZ - Northern Arizona University (NAU) and American Campus Communities, the nation's largest owner, manager and developer of high-quality student housing communities, celebrated the addition of Skyview to the NAU campus at a grand opening event in Flagstaff, Arizona.
The development of Skyview responds to Northern Arizona University's need to increase their offering of modern, purpose-built, on-campus student housing. Skyview supports the University's growth by providing these students with high-quality accommodations in a live-learn community that is designed with today's students in mind.
"At the ground breaking ceremony we promised not just an exceptional residential experience, but a facility with academic space and support services for student success, and parking," NAU President Rita Cheng said. "I am happy to confirm that American Campus Communities has kept their promise to NAU and to our students."
Sited strategically to offer breathtaking views of Mount Elden, Skyview features spacious apartment and townhome-style accommodations, academic resources including an Academic Success Center with iMacs, free printing, and group and private study lounges, and state-of-the-art amenities to promote wellness and resident socialization, including a fitness center with strength equipment, free weights, and separate cardio room, and recreation center with billiards, ping pong and arcade games.
The landscape is designed to create a walkable mountain community that accommodates native plantings. Skyview also provides residents with nearly 3,000 square feet of retail space featuring EAT Market.
"Skyview is a great addition to our long-term, successful partnership with Northern Arizona University," said James Wilhelm, EVP Public-Private Transactions at American Campus Communities. "It's our goal to create environments for academic and personal success for students, and this community will do just that for more than six hundred students."
The 626-bed community is the second phase of the Hilltop Townhomes community delivered in 2012, and the fourth phase in the NAU-ACC partnership, which has delivered more than 2,000 modern, on-campus student beds.
The grand opening event was held at Skyview and featured a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception. Attendees included University representatives, Flagstaff elected officials, and development team members from American Campus Communities.
Source: American Campus Communities / #Student #Housing


It is fashionable to argue that U.S. global power is fading, but you wouldn't necessarily know it from Iran. Over the past six months, President Donald Trump has turned the global financial system into a weapon against Tehran, despite resistance from virtually every major world power, and he is getting results. The policy has triggered an exodus of corporations and financial institutions that would rather abandon their investments in Iran than risk U.S. Treasury Department sanctions. On Nov. 5, Trump's Administration made its boldest move yet, restoring crippling penalties on Iran's oil, banking and shipping sectors.
But if American money is talking, and many of the world's big business players are walking, it's less clear whether Trump will achieve the ultimate goal of his "maximum-pressure campaign" against Tehran: diminishing Iranian influence in the Middle East.
Pompeo said more than 100 companies have already withdrawn from Iran or canceled plans to do business there while over 20 nations have stopped importing Iranian oil, "taking more than 1 million barrels of crude per day off the market." Saudi Arabia, Iran's archenemy, has increased its oil production to near record levels amid U.S. pressure to keep prices down; international crude-oil futures touched a three-month low of $71.18 early in the week as expectations of shortages faded.
French energy giant Total, Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk and French carmaker Peugeot are among the growing number of businesses to flee Iran under the threat of U.S. sanctions. And in a remarkable show of American financial supremacy, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, known as SWIFT, said on Nov. 5 that it would suspend an unspecified number of Iranian banks from its systems, essentially unplugging Iran's already anemic economy from the international banking industry.
For all the economic pressure, Iran may yet pull off a victory, for a simple reason: much of the world is ambivalent about the U.S. moves. The Trump Administration's efforts target Iran's pursuit of ballistic-missile technology and its support for proxy militias in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon, which other nations agree are destabilizing the region. But the U.S. sanctions violate the Obama Administration's 2015 deal with Iran, which brought Tehran's nuclear program under tight control. Everyone from China to the U.K. has opposed breaking the nuclear deal to penalize Iran's regional bad behavior.
Tehran, which for its part has complied with the 2015 agreement despite the U.S. pullout, is seeking to split other countries from the U.S. by salvaging a deal with its remaining signatories: Russia, China, Germany, Britain and France. There is some indication it is working. On Nov. 5, the U.S. granted waivers to China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey to allow them to continue buying Iranian oil despite America's sanctions. Pompeo explained that the "temporary" exemptions were meant to avoid a major spike in world oil prices.
And as the 2015 deal showed, getting Iran to back down requires a unified front. "The only thing the Iranian leadership deems more dangerous than suffering from sanctions is surrendering to them," says Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group. Which means the Trump Administration may yet learn that in the Middle East, at least, there is a big difference between wielding power and achieving results.


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Recording Academy, CBS issue joint statement on postponement of GRAMMY Awards Ceremony
Award Shows Featured News
With an uptick in infections due to the surging Omicron variant of the Coronavirus, the Recording Academy and CBS have decided to postpone this year's GRAMMY Awards ceremony. The GRAMMY's aren't the only first quarter casualty, the NFL could be looking for a new home for this year's Super Bowl as numbers in Los Angeles continue to spike. While music and entertainment lovers await the announcement of a future date, re-visit this year's nominees.
"After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy® and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards® Show. The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31 simply contains too many risks. We look forward to celebrating Music's Biggest Night® on a future date, which will be announced soon."
Tags: Grammy Awards, The Recording Academy
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California will ban the sale and manufacture of animal fur products starting in 2023
California will be the first U.S. state to ban animal fur products
by Christian Saclao October 14, 2019, 6:18 am
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California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill on Saturday that will make The Golden State the first U.S. state to ban animal fur products.
Under the new law, residents of the state will not be allowed to sell or manufacture new clothing, shoes or handbags made with animal fur, starting in 2023. The ban does not apply to used products and those that are made for religious or tribal purposes. It also excludes the sale of leather, cowhides, dog and cat fur, skin of deer, sheep, and goat as well as products preserved through taxidermy. Californians who will fail to comply can be fined up to $1,000 for multiple violations.
Animal rights groups applauded the ban as they believe that animals may be subject to gassing, electrocution, and other inhumane procedures just to take their fur. "Ordinary people want to see animals protected, not abused," said Cassie King, an organizer with advocacy group Direct Action Everywhere, which is working with activists all over the country to pass similar bills in cities like Minneapolis, Minnesota and Portland, Oregon.
The billion-dollar U.S. fur industry, on the other hand, is strongly opposing the ban. As a matter of fact, the Fur Information Council of America has already threatened to sue. According to opponents of the new legislation, the ban could create a black market and start a slippery slope of banning other products. "[The ban is part of a] radical vegan agenda using fur as the first step to other bans on what we wear and eat", said Keith Kaplan of the Fur Information Council, who also claims that fake fur is not a sustainable option.
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Also on Saturday, Newsom signed a separate bill prohibiting most animals, especially wild ones like tigers and bears, from circus performances in California. The law doesn't apply to rodeos and exempts domesticated horses, dogs, and cats. The penalty detailed in the new legislation can be as high as $25,000 per day for each violation.
California is the third U.S. state to bar most animals from circus performances. The first two are New Jersey and Hawaii.
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