Debit Mastercard® is a new generation of debit card that opens up a range of innovative options to you. It's the direct way to pay for purchases and make cash withdrawals securely worldwide. And now for the first time in Switzerland you can even pay for your worldwide online shopping by debit card.
Good to know: the new Debit Mastercard® also lets you make contactless payments.
The new Debit Mastercard is welcome both at home and abroad, wherever Mastercard is accepted.
With the Debit Mastercard you can make cash withdrawals at ATMs worldwide, wherever Mastercard is accepted.
Quick, convenient and secure: wherever you see the contactless symbol, you can use the new Debit Mastercard to make paying even easier. For amounts up to CHF 40 you don't even need to enter your PIN code. Simply hold your card up to the payment terminal. That's it!
Use your Android smartphone like your Debit Mastercard to make payments conveniently and securely. When you want to pay, simply hold your smartphone up to the contactless terminal. Activate this new feature under «Mobile Pay» in the "one" app.
With the free "one" digital service (web and app) you always have a complete overview of the payments you make with your card. For instance, you can easily call up and check transactions, the amount available on your card and other account information.
Use "one" to also check and approve online payments that apply the 3D-Secure standard. "one" is also available as an app for your smartphone or Apple Watch.
How does the Debit Mastercard work?
How to use your Debit Mastercard when shopping online?
Apply for a Debit Mastercard® now!
You can find the summary of fees for the Debit Mastercard here.
Would you like to enhance your debit card with the advantages offered by a credit card?
Find out everything you need to know about the new Debit Mastercard® cards. The most frequently asked questions are shown here along with the answers.
What is the Debit Mastercard and how does it differ from the Maestro card?
With the Debit Mastercard, purchases you make online and at points of sale anywhere in the world can now be paid for conveniently without cash. Moreover, your Debit Mastercard is also equipped with the contactless feature and lets you make cash withdrawals at ATMs worldwide.
How do I use my Debit Mastercard to pay for purchases I make online?
Select "Credit card" (or "Mastercard") as your mode of payment. (The reason for this is that most online vendors are still in the process of correctly integrating "Debit" as an option in the list of payment modes.) Enter the 16-digit debit card number, the card expiry date and the 3-digit card security number of your Debit Mastercard.
Where is the Debit Mastercard accepted?
You can use your Debit Mastercard wherever Mastercard is accepted.
How can I maintain an overview of my spending with the Debit Mastercard?
In VisecaOne you can view all the transactions you make with your Debit Mastercard.
Where can I find information about the fees applicable to my Debit Mastercard?
The fees vary according to product and bank. A detailed overview of the fees is therefore provided by your bank.
Whom do I contact if I have questions about Debit Mastercard?
For information about your Debit Mastercard, please contact your bank or Viseca directly. Both phone numbers are printed on your card.
Can I use Mobile Pay with my Debit Mastercard?
Yes, the Debit Mastercard card can be registered for VisecaOne and TWINT. However, currently, only Android devices are compatible with VisecaOne. Viseca Card Services SA, as the card issuer for its shareholder and partner banks, does not currently offer Apple Pay or Samsung Pay payment services.


text:
Poverty persists in oil-rich Africa
By Cesar Chelala
When oil was found in 1996 in Equatorial Guinea, the former Spanish colony in West Africa was one of the poorest countries in the world. Today, this small and sparsely populated country of 465,000 inhabitants has an offshore production of 350,000 barrels a day, making it the third-largest sub-Saharan producer of oil, behind Nigeria and Angola. According to the African Development Bank, a year after oil was found, gross domestic product went up 76 percent.
In my role as a public health consultant, I recently visited Equatorial Guinea for the first time since 1993. After more than a decade, despite the oil boom, I was unable to see any improvements in the living standards of ordinary people. Malaria is still rampant and the main cause of death among children under 5, and child morbidity and mortality have not improved significantly in the past several years.
Since the mid-1990s, several countries in sub-Saharan Africa - others are Nigeria, Angola and Gabon - have experienced strong revenue growth from the petroleum industry. In most cases, however, this new wealth is not contributing to economic development or improving living standards. Rather, it has been used almost exclusively for the enrichment of the countries' leaders, and as a consequence most of the population remains poor and unprotected.
Sub-Saharan Africa's production - more than 4 million barrels of oil a day - surpasses that of Iran, Venezuela and Mexico combined, and the region has the potential to become as important a crude oil resource as Russia or the Caspian Sea. The area has the additional advantage of being more politically stable than the Middle East, at least at this time.
According to estimates by the U.S. National Intelligence Council, sub-Saharan Africa could fill up to 25 percent of U.S. fossil fuel needs by 2015, up from 16 percent now.
But little of the region's oil wealth is finding its way to the population, either directly or in improved health and social services. At the same time, while oil production has continually increased, production of traditional exports such as coffee and cacao has dramatically declined.
In Equatorial Guinea, more than 70 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and the majority of those living in the largest cities lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation services. The immunization rate for the most prevalent diseases is relatively low, making children prone to diseases that could be easily preventable by vaccination. Almost 20 percent of children under 5 are malnourished, almost 5 percent severely so. At the same time, maternal mortality, which is a good measure of health coverage and the quality of health services, remains very high.
Most of Equatorial Guinea's primary and secondary schools don't support basic conditions for children's education. Sixty percent of schools don't have potable water, and 50 percent don't have toilet facilities. As a result, there is a high rate of children dropping out of school or repeating classes. In some schools, there are up to 96 students per room.
The situation is similar in Angola. According to two nongovernmental organizations, Human Rights Watch and Global Witness, from 1997 to 2002 more than $4 billion disappeared from the state budget. At the same time, Angola's president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, has become one of the world's 50 richest people, while most of Angola's population lives in misery and sectors of the population are ravaged by the AIDS pandemic.
Official corruption on such a scale would be more difficult if global oil, gas and mining companies made public all their payments to the governments involved. In 2002, an international coalition of 130 nongovernmental organizations began a campaign called "Publish What You Pay" to demand such disclosure.
A new experience in Chad also provides a model for oil-rich African countries. Chad expects to receive more than $2 billion in oil revenue in the next 20 years and is committed to spending 80 percent of its new earnings on building schools, clinics and roads, and fulfilling other basic needs. Most of the money is held by the World Bank in a London account, and a citizens' committee oversees its expenditures.
The main responsibility for African people's welfare, however, lies with government leaders, who have the power to turn the oil boom into a blessing or a curse.
(Cesar Chelala is an international public health consultant and writer on human rights issues.)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home 360 India needs time to restore order in Kashmir – top court judge
India needs time to restore order in Kashmir – top court judge
Suchitra Mohanty and Alasdair Pal, Reuters
Indian security personal stand guard on a deserted road during restrictions on the Eid-al-Adha after the scrapping of the special constitutional status for Kashmir by the Indian government, in Srinagar, August 12, 2019. REUTERS/Danish Ismail
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Indian authorities need more time to restore order in Kashmir, a Supreme Court justice said on Tuesday as a security clampdown entered a ninth day since New Delhi revoked the region's special status, triggering protests.
The court is hearing an activist's petition seeking to lift curbs on communications and movement that have disrupted normal life and essential services in the Himalayan region.
Telephone lines, internet and television networks have been blocked since Aug. 5 when India withdrew Jammu and Kashmir state's right to frame its own laws and allowed non-residents to buy property there.
Restrictions on movement and assembly, including a ban on gatherings of more than four people, were tightly enforced in the region's main city of Srinagar on Tuesday.
The petition also seeks the release of detained political leaders in Kashmir, among more than 300 people held to prevent widespread protests.
Menaka Guruswamy, a lawyer for the petitioner, said the court should move to restore hospital services and open schools.
"That is all I ask," she told the court.
Justice Arun Mishra said the government wanted to bring Kashmir back to normal as soon as possible.
"The situation is such that nobody knows what is going on. We should give them time to restore normalcy. Nobody can take 1% of chance," Mishra said.
"Who will be responsible if something really bad happens tomorrow?," he said.
The court is expected to rule on the petition in a few days.
Indian officials say the situation is normalising.
Restrictions were lifted in five districts of Jammu on Monday, and relaxed in nine Kashmir districts, the home ministry said.
However, authorities sealed off parts of Srinagar on Monday where hundreds of people shouting anti-India slogans spilled onto the streets following prayers on the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.
Rahul Gandhi, a leader of India's opposition Congress party, said on Tuesday he and his colleagues want to visit the state, responding to media reports of an invitation from authorities overseeing Kashmir.
Gandhi also tweeted "but please ensure us the freedom to travel and meet the people, mainstream leaders and our soldiers stationed over there".
TWEETS BLOCKED
India has raised concerns about some Twitter posts on the situation in Kashmir, which is also claimed by Pakistan.
Police in Kashmir said they asked Twitter to act against a malicious post from one user. Indian media reported on Monday that the government had asked the company to suspend eight accounts accused of spreading false information about Kashmir.
A police officer told NDTV news network that some of the accounts were run by Pakistan's spy agency, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).
A spokesman for the publicity wing of Pakistan's military and intelligence services said it had no involvement in the accounts.
Madiha Shakil Khan, who operates one of the eight Twitter accounts, said she was not formally contacted by Twitter, but one of her tweets about fighting for Kashmir's freedom was blocked in India.
Khan, whose account @Red4Kashmir has about 700 followers, lives in Islamabad but hails from Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
"I am tweeting in solidarity with Kashmiris," Khan, 28, told Reuters by telephone, adding that she had no ties to Pakistan's ISI. "Kashmir is being totally censored. They only want the Indian narrative. Every month they suspend me."
Twitter and India's federal home ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
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Little did I know when I switched from technical diving to freediving that holding my breath could be more dangerous than diving to 250 feet with multiple tanks strapped to my back. Believe it or not, freediver blackout is more commonplace than extreme scuba diving accidents.
A few months later, I am in Kirk Krack's PFI freediving class, and my buddy's face throws me for a loop. His lips are blue, his eyes are vacant and rolling back in his head, and his facial muscles are quivering. After a few seconds, I'm thrown into action only because Kirk yells out the instructions I'd forgotten while watching the horror show.
I hold my buddy face-up, take his mask off, blow air across his eyes, tap on his cheek, and gently tell him to breathe. He takes a few ragged breaths and regains consciousness. True to Kirk's prediction, my buddy is completely unaware of what just happened. Despite the look on my face and the fact that Kirk and several people are staring at him, he almost refuses to believe he blacked out — until we point out that his mask is missing.
I leave the class with certain images burned in my brain. For sure, I now understand blackouts and the importance of buddy diving. But I also know that my regular spearfishing partners are not going to agree to dive "one-up, one-down". I don't even mention the idea, as I'm sure they'll think of it as sissy-diving. Unbeknownst to my buddies, I keep a closer eye on them, and I realize that the class benefits them more than it does me in terms of safety.
Fast-forwarding one year to July 2004, I am standing on the shores of Hawaii after my second Nationals. All the competitors are back in, except for one. A boat goes out to search, and Gene Higa's kayak is spotted, anchored and floating on the surface. My first thought is that Gene is too good an athlete to have blacked out. My second thought is that he is too good an athlete to not be back in time for weigh-in.
My heart sinks when I hear they found his body underwater. I see his wife and toddler son still standing on the shore, looking out to sea, waiting for him to return. Who is going to tell her? I cannot imagine a worse pain than losing your parent, your spouse, or your child. It is mind-boggling how quickly a life can end — how a young child can be left without a parent, or a parent without a child — hearts broken and lives changed forever.
On the flight home, I sketch a vest that can automatically inflate and keep a blacked-out diver afloat face-up. From years of working in product development, I know that, technically-speaking, such a device is possible. The bigger question is whether freedivers can afford it and will they wear it. And who would be willing to fund such a project?
I soon find out that Terry Maas and David Sipperly have also been thinking about a freedive vest. The concept is an obvious one, and many people before us have also thought of such devices. However, having ideas is the easy part. Taking an idea to fruition — investing time, energy, and money to make it a reality — is where the rubber meets the road.
Dr. Terry Maas, a respected leader in spearfishing, steps up to make the dream come true. Five years later, the Freediver Recovery Vest is now available. Clearly, it will not take the place of a good buddy, and it is not an excuse to act recklessly. But applying technology to save lives is a worthy cause, and at the very least, it will serve to make body recovery easier.
A few months after the fateful Nationals, I return to Hawaii again. Terry and I meet in Oahu to take pictures of an early-version mock-up of the vest. We are hosted by Daryl Wong. After taking pictures, Terry and Daryl leave the area to take pictures of whales, and the rest of us go spearfishing in 100 feet of clear, blue water.
I kick over, dive down, put my arms around his chest and kick him to the surface. I take his mask off, hold his face out of the water, and blow across his eyes. He isn't waking up! I grow frantic and tap harder, "Common, breathe! Breathe!" Two other divers arrive to help.
"No, listen. You blacked out," I tell him. The other divers recover his mask and weights and call the boat over. As the boat approaches, I think about the irony. Here we are, working on the vest, and we almost lost a diver. Perhaps someone was trying to reaffirm our commitment to the project.
My new friend calls me on the anniversary of his blackout every year to thank me. I am grateful for his call and happy to hear his voice. I thank God that we didn't have to call his wife and tell her that her husband was being shipped home in a box.
Before I start feeling too proud of myself, I think about the fact that Kirk would surely reprimand me for not having caught the diver at the surface before he started sinking. We were taught to watch the diver during the ascent and then for an additional 30 seconds, as that is the window of time when a blackout can still occur.
We would also be reprimanded for wearing too much weight — a mistake I made for many years. All divers should be positively buoyant at the surface (even after exhaling) and neutral at 30 feet. In other words, a diver who loses consciousness at or near the surface should not sink to the bottom of the sea.
I'm not sure why it took me so long to figure out that there is no benefit to being over-weighted. Not only is it unsafe at the surface, but it also hurts your hunting technique at depth — fish tend to be wary of a diver who is bouncing around the bottom or having to kick to overcome the weight. In addition, over-weighting hurts total dive time. To begin with, resting even a couple inches lower in the waterline makes it harder to inhale a full breath due to additional pressure on the lungs, not to mention being less relaxed throughout the entire dive.
My buddy decides that he wants some good to come out of his blackout, so we document the incident and submit it to the new "Freediver Incident Database" that Dr. Neal Pollock, a Research Director at Divers Alert Network, started in 2005.
DAN was already doing an outstanding job of recording incidences and improving safety for SCUBA divers, and Dr. Pollock felt they should do the same for freedivers. Our story became one of his earliest comprehensive non-fatal entries, and it remains his most oft used example in presentations at various conferences.
Since then, Dr. Pollock has collected five years worth of data. It's obvious that only a portion of the total number of incidences is being captured, as awareness of the database continues to grow. But even with what has been collected so far, the numbers are disturbing. In 2008, the documented number of fatalities in the U.S. alone was 32. Thirty-two precious lives — fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, or daughters — gone forever.
Imagine if every football team in the NFL lost one player each season (32 deaths per year). How would the public react to a sport with so many deaths? However, freediving does not have a lot of visibility in America, and the coroner usually lists "drowning" (rather than "blackout" for which medical evidence is typically not present) as the cause of death. The surviving families often do not understand what happened either, as most divers do not want to explain the inherent dangers of their beloved sport.
Even within the spearfishing community, few divers discuss their near-misses. Many have experienced "sambas", or loss of motor control, along with other precursors to a blackout. However, many think of these as a sign of weakness or inferiority, and the events are quietly ignored. Some may not even admit close calls to themselves.
With so little talk from dead divers (understandable), so little talk from survivors (due to misplaced shame or embarrassment), and so little publicity surrounding the real cause of freediver deaths, it's no wonder that blackouts continue to haunt our sport.
1. The availability and quality of freediving classes is getting better and more widespread.
2. DAN is gathering freediver incident data — and knowledge is power!
3. A freediver recovery vest is now available.
4. In 2008, Julie Richardson, a concerned mother, formed a non-profit organization, DiveWise, to educate freedivers.
But…all this knowledge, technology, and education will not help us if we do not change our ways — if we dive alone, if we don't watch each other, if we over-weight, if we hyperventilate to excess, if we constantly push the limits, if we value a fish more than our own lives.
In late 2009, I have a blackout article half-written in my head. I'm diving with Bill, a strong and capable diver who has attended Kirk's class. From the very start, we fall into a "one-up, one-down" rhythm without ever having to talk about it. It is not only comfortable; it is productive and feels "right".
We take turns hunting for mutton snappers by lying on the bottom at 50 feet. Bill gets a fish, and I watch as he hits the surface. Without warning, he slumps forward face-first. I'm surprised, because it was not an unusual dive for him, but I am ready. I feel calm and confident from having done this before and from visualizing it in my head many times. I gently push his head back, and we go through the motions.
He regains consciousness and acts like it's my turn to dive. If not for the fact that my speargun is missing (because I let it drop during the rescue), Bill could have kept diving and remained oblivious to the fact that he had a blackout. I inform him that he left our presence for awhile and tell him to watch me while I retrieve my speargun. It's an easy depth, but my heart is still pounding a little.
When done right, the blackout-rescue scenario is not a big deal. Still, we quit diving and go eat at our favorite Cuban restaurant. We try to do a "lessons-learned", and we are most struck by the fact that Bill's pre-blackout dive was nothing out of the ordinary — meaning it could happen to any of us at any time! We become more committed than ever to "one-up, one-down", and I resolve to finish the article.
I love life, and I love my family. I will only partner with trained divers who will dive "one-up, one-down" and watch my back as closely as I watch theirs. Why it took me so long to reach this stage of maturity as a diver….I do not know. But my hope is that I can influence at least one person to reach this point sooner in their evolution.
God bless the families and loved ones of Gene Higa, Phil Stevens, Juan Rodriguez, Steve Redding, Dimitris Vassilakis, Steve Seo, Larry Staat, Jim Warnock, Josh Choi, Tyler Pillion, and the countless other divers that left us far too soon.
Check out Hawaii Skin Diver magazine where Sheri's article first debuted and also sign up for the Annual Gene Higa Tournament.


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A collection of horror, mystery, and science fiction tales, with contributions from fellow writers, James Darko and Dexter Lynch. If you wish to contribute, I'd be happy to showcase your writing. Just send me a message. The stories are free to read and always will be. Some are better than others (I'm speaking only for myself), but I can't give all my best ideas away for free, ha ha. Feel free to share any stories, but please be sure to give credit where credit is due.
By Daniel Skye
It emerged from the dark mouth of the tunnel. Its skin was black and rough as shoe leather.
Ten angular appendages–five on each side of its malformed torso–helped it crawl out from the tunnel like a spider.
But this was no spider. This was a monstrosity. A creature not of this world.
Kirsty Shaw stared into its glowing red eyes. As red as the blood that coursed through her veins. Her brain told her to run, but her legs refused to accept the command. Her feet were glued to the winding path that had led her to the ominous tunnel.
She just stared in awe at the creature and its enormity. Its mouth alone was the size of a manhole cover, and its teeth looked like they could chew through one. A forked tongue slithered in and out between two rows of jagged, needle-like teeth.
Run, Kirsty! Her brain was screaming. Run for your life!
But Kirsty was paralyzed with fear. It crawled along the path, picking up speed. It was now mere inches away; its mouth stretched wide, ready to devour. She closed her eyes and screamed.
Then she snapped awake. When she opened her eyes, she was alone in bed.
"Just another nightmare," Kirsty muttered under his breath. "Get a grip, Kirsty. Get ahold of yourself."
Kirsty wiped away the beads of cold sweat that had accumulated on her forehead and tried to sit up. Her sheets and pillowcases were drenched in perspiration. And though the familiar sight of his bedroom was enough to remind her it was all a harmless nightmare, it did nothing to alleviate the chills that crawled down her spine.
It wasn't the first time she'd dreamt of the creature, and it surely wouldn't be the last. But what did it all mean? Was the dream a sign? A warning? A manifestation of her real life fears and anxieties?
To Kirsty, figuring out these nightmares was like connecting the dots. Sooner or later, she'd put it together. Make sense of it all.
She glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand. 7:55 AM. Kirsty was scheduled to open at eight that morning.
The holiday season was upon them. Kirsty worked in retail, and contrary to popular belief, the holiday season was not the most wonderful time of the year. Not for her, not for anyone who worked in Cherrywood Mall.
Knowing she was already going to be late, Kirsty sprang from her bed and quickly donned the acquired work attire–beige pants, plain black shoes, and a green T-shirt that promoted Horne's Department Store.
Kirsty had no time for breakfast, no time to shower, no time to do her makeup, no time to even brush her teeth. She rinsed with mouthwash and combed the knots out of her long, silky, jet-black hair. Then she was out the door, in her car, and racing down the block.
It was unlike Kirsty to speed, but she was already running late as it was. And she was trying to avoid another lecture from her boss.
Mr. Cox–who Kirsty felt was aptly named–was an intolerable man. He always had a complaint or critique to express. Kirsty was convinced he talked so much because he loved hearing the sound of his own voice.
He might've loved hearing it, but Kirsty did not. To her, that shrill, nasal voice was like nails on a chalkboard.
Kirsty arrived at a quarter after eight. Mr. Cox was standing behind the perfume counter, tapping the face of his wristwatch.
"Mr. Cox, I can explain," Kirsty started.
"I'm not interested in your excuses, Shaw. Do you like being employed here? Do you like having a job?"
"Yes, sir," Kirsty nodded.
"Then start showing up on time. If we have to have this conversation again, it'll be the last time. Got it?"
"Got it," she nodded again and bit her lower lip to avoid saying what she really wanted to say.
Kirsty worked the perfume counter, but Robbie Vane worked sporting goods. He was the only employee at Horne's that was the same age as Kirsty. They had graduated high school together and were currently attending the same college–Hofstra.
She didn't find Robbie particularly attractive. He was paper thin, his arms about as thick as twigs. His face was scarred with acne and his hair was never combed or styled. It always looked like he just rolled out of bed.
But Robbie didn't have many other friends, so he wasn't one to blab or gossip. He could keep a secret. And their mutual hatred for Bill Cox instantly made them friends.
So when they had time a cigarette break later that afternoon, Kirsty confided in him about her nightmares.
"Dreams and nightmares don't mean anything, dude," Robbie told her. Even though she was a girl, Robbie still called her dude. He called everyone dude or man or bro. Potheads tend to do that. "I have bad dreams all the time. They don't mean shit."
"These are different," Kirsty said. "They're so real, so vivid. I know myself. And I'm just not that imaginative. There's got to be something that's triggering it."
"You said this thing lives inside a tunnel?"
"As far as I can tell."
"What's the tunnel like?"
"It's an old tunnel below an abandoned train trestle. Too narrow for any vehicle to squeeze through. But it's deep. In my dreams, I can't even tell where it ends. It's too dark to see. And there's a long, winding path that leads to it. I remember every detail. I remember the path, the trees, the dry brush, and sound of birds tweeting."
"You're reminding me of a place not too far from here…" Robbie said and trailed off.
"You remember that nature preserve near our high school? The one where all the potheads used to go to blaze? If you walk far enough, there's this long winding path that leads to an old tunnel. It's exactly as you describe."
"You're going to have to show me this tunnel."
"Why would you want to waste your time?"
"To put this crap behind me. To prove to myself there's nothing to fear. I'm getting too old to believe in monsters."
"Not me, dude. I love monster movies. Monsters in real life would be a dream come true. They're not scary. They're just misunderstood. Like Frankenstein."
"Didn't Frankenstein kill a little girl? Isn't that why the townspeople were chasing him with torches?"
"Well…maybe he was having a bad day."
"Tell that to the parents," Kirsty quipped. She had a dark sense of humor sometimes.
"After work, you're showing me this tunnel."
Cox poked his head out the backdoor and yelled, "Vane! Shaw! Get your asses inside! You're not getting paid to stand around and smoke!"
"See you after work," Kirsty whispered.
Robbie didn't want to go, but Kirsty wouldn't let up. So after work, they drove down to the preserve and started walking.
"He knows when you are smoking. He knows when you are baked. He knows if you've done crack or shrooms. So just smoke for goodness sake." He sang the words before lighting a joint. He took two big hits, held in the smoke before releasing it, and then offered it to Kirsty.
"Pass," she said.
What Robbie lacked in good looks, he made up for in personality. Kirsty couldn't deny that he made her laugh. He was a fun guy to be around. And it wasn't just the pot or his random jokes and one-liners. He had a natural charisma that even he was unaware of. But Kirsty saw it.
And Robbie was the opposite of Kirsty. He always had a smile on his face. He was always in a cheerful mood. Nothing could bring him down.
Kirsty was a girl of pensive sadness, always trapped in her own thoughts to escape the threat of reality. She was always thinking, but never expressing herself. And if she didn't look sad while she was silently thinking, she looked miserable. She didn't even realize she was scowling until Robbie pointed it out to her.
"What's the matter?" he asked. "You're not feeling the Christmas spirit?"
"Not particularly. How can you enjoy Christmas when we work retail? Christmas means mobs of people, ignorant and impatient shoppers, last minute gift buyers, thousands of returns. It's enough to make my head spin."
"I try to look on the bright side of things," Robbie said and shot her a smile. His smile was infectious, because it broke her scowl and forced her to smile for the first time that day.
"What's the difference between an elephant and elephant seal?" Robbie asked with the joint dangling from his lips.
"What?" Kirsty asked, waiting for the punchline.
"Fuck if I know," Robbie shrugged.
The path they walked was long and winding. The scenery was just as it was in her nightmares.
"If I remember correctly, the tunnel should be just up ahead."
"This is definitely the place," Kirsty said and shuddered.
"It's exactly like my dreams. This can't be a coincidence, right?"
"Sure it can. Maybe you saw this place before when you were younger and something about it scared you. Maybe it's been drifting around in your subconscious this whole time, and now it's trying to force its way out."
"I've never been here," Kirsty said. "I'm certain of that. Only in my dreams."
"I told you before, dreams don't mean shit. I had a dream once where I was a pirate. What does that tell you? Nothing."
"Thanks for sharing," Kirsty said. "I feel very reassured."
"Hey, look," Robbie pointed. "There it is." Without realizing it, she drew closer to Robbie as they approached the opening.
Nothing was visible beyond the mouth of the tunnel. But the very sight of it chilled her to the core.
"See?" Robbie pointed with the hand that now held his joint. By then it was practically burning down to his fingertips. He flicked the roach aside and added, "Nothing to be afraid of. No monsters. No Frankenstein's. It's just an old tunnel."
A hideous screech echoed through the tunnel and reached their ears. Robbie gave her a look as if to say, no, it can't be possible.
Kirsty stared at the mouth of the tunnel and watched it emerge. Its glowing red eyes stared right back at her. And then they turned their attention to Robbie Vane.
Its forked tongue wagged back and forth, brushing over its sharp, needle-like teeth. It skittered across the path with its long, angular legs, moving like the biggest spider Robbie had ever seen.
Kirsty was paralyzed with fear, just like in her nightmares.
But this was no nightmare. And the creature that seized Robbie with its ten angular appendages was no spider. This was your worst fears brought to life. Was it alien? Was it spawned from the depths of hell?
Kirsty would never know. Its origins would forever remain a mystery.
Robbie screamed–a brief, weak, muted scream that could barely convey the pain he felt.
And Kirsty shut her eyes, praying when she opened them, she'd wake up in her bed, safe and sound…
Posted by Randy Romero at 10:06 PM
ONE FOR THE BOOKS: PART ONE
THE EYES OF MARCH
RESET: PART ONE
THE THING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS
OBLIVION: PART ONE
THE DEVIL'S BREW
OBLIVION: PART THREE
BYOB: PART ONE
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#powerball Nov 9: Jackpot grows to $88 Million; Rolling to $110 Million
The Saturday, November 9th jackpot grew to an estimated $88 million and will be rolling to $110 Million for the next draw. The winning numbers: White Balls: 03 09 37 49 56, Powerball: 32. There were two tickets that won the $1 Million Match 5 prize. They were from MD and PA. There were no tickets that added the Power Play to win $2 million. There were 487,099 tickets that won over $5.2 million in cash prizes. Detailed winning information can be found here.
This press release is mirrored from http://www.powerball.com/. We do not own a copyright on it and we are not the original press contact.
$640,000,000 on Saturday January 16th, 2021
$1,500,000,000 on January 13th, 2016
Latest Powerball News
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#powerball North Carolina man says Powerball win got his heart racing '100 miles an hour' 09/06/2017
#powerball Powell wins on Powerball! 09/05/2017


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Nomophobia, the fear of no mobile phone, affects 89% of college students
By Douglas Heingartner
A new study has found that "nomophobia" is now the overwhelming norm among college students. The definition of nomophobia is the fear of being out of mobile phone contact.
The study suggests that 89% of college students now have either moderate or severe nomophobia. In 2012, that figure was only 77%.
The research recently appeared in an online supplement of the journal Sleep.
Nomophobia and sleep problems
Nomophobia was significantly related to more daytime sleepiness, and more behaviors associated with poor sleep quality.
"We found that college students who experience more 'nomophobia' were also more likely to experience sleepiness and poorer sleep hygiene, such as long naps and inconsistent bed and wake times," said lead author Jennifer Peszka.
The study involved 327 university students whose average age was 20.
The participants completed several questionnaires. One of those, the Nomophobia Questionnaire, asks respondents how strongly they agree or disagree with a number of statements. Examples include "I would feel uncomfortable without constant access to information through my smartphone" or "If I were to run out of credits or hit my monthly data limit, I would panic."
Likewise, other questionnaires included the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Sleep Hygiene Index.
Limiting phone time can actually worsen effects
Peszka said a common recommendation to improve sleep is to limit phone use before and during bedtime. But, she said, for people with nomophobia, this recommendation might only increase anxiety and further disrupt sleep.
And that calls for customized responses. "The recommendation to curtail bedtime phone use, which is meant to improve sleep and seems rather straightforward, might need adjustment or consideration for these individuals," she said.
Treating phobias such as nomophobia
The various approaches to treating phobias form an increasingly popular topic in psychology. A phobia is an excessive and unreasonable fear of an object or situation that causes an individual to encounter avoidance.
Phobias can cause various bodily responses such as quicker heart rate, excessive sweating, rapid breathing, and high blood pressure, muscle tension and nausea. Phobias can influence individuals to avoid certain social situations.
Treatment of phobias normally involves either a psychological intervention or medication. Psychological therapies include behavior therapy, cognitive modification, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Behavior therapy may include systematic desensitization, in which patients are gradually and carefully exposed to the object/situation which causes phobic reactions.
Other therapies include rational-emotive behavioral therapy, which uses techniques of logic and confrontation; and cognitive therapy, involving the process of identifying and changing harmful thinking as well as methods of changing maladaptive behavior.
Study: "Sleep, Sleepiness, and Sleep Hygiene Related to Nomophobia (No Mobile Phone Phobia)"
Authors: J Peszka et al.
Published in: Sleep
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaa056.178
Photo: by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels
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A new study finds movies about mental illness earn more money, get better reviews, and win more Oscars than average.


There are a few films about Martin Luther King, Jr. in the works but Selma has brought on Oprah Winfrey as a producer, as well as Brad Pitt.
Big news on the MLK movie front. Paramount is in final negotiations to acquire domestic distribution rights to Selma, a feature drama about Martin Luther King's 1965 landmark voting rights campaign regarded as the peak of the civil rights movement, and none other than Oprah Winfrey has boarded the project as producer.
Paramount is tying down U.S. and Canadian distribution rights to the film. Ava DuVernay, who came aboard the project in July, rewrote the script and slipped it to Winfrey, who sparked to DuVernay's rewrite. We've been waiting for a strong cinematic tribute to the iconic civil rights leader, and this remarkably becomes the second MLK project that Winfrey is involved with. Her Harpo also is behind a seven-part HBO miniseries America: In the King Years. Selma is on a much faster track. The plan is to get rolling in front of cameras as soon as possible. Lining up a domestic deal and a name of Winfrey's caliber were key to getting the ball rolling, and when the deal makes production is expected to start right away. Brad Pitt's Plan B and Christian Colson are already aboard as producers.
Another MLK movie, a biopic, isn't moving as swiftly. Oliver Stone backed out of his involvement in a movie about the late Civil Rights leader after his script was rejected for touching on all aspect of King's life, including alleged infidelity.
Also worth noting, writer DuVernay was the first Black woman to win Best Director at Sundance.


There's been extensive praise, critique and frustration regarding the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, which went into effect on May 25, 2018. The regulation applies to all organizations that process personal data of an EU data subject, any individual who resides and/or travels through EU territory regardless of citizenship.
*I'm not a lawyer so don't take everything I have to say on lawfulness to be the best source of legal counsel. Just trying to help people of interest gain some understanding in the relevance of privacy experience and data protection.
The regulation has caused headaches for business management, legal counsel and IT personnel. It almost goes without saying that GDPR was not the first ever data protection measure put in place by a governing body; yet, it was the most sweeping regulation passed that demanded accountability from organizations on a global level to comply with the European Commission's measures. Many (particularly those in the North America) didn't quite understand the gravity of GDPR and others who didn't take the regulation seriously often presumed no action could be taken against them from a foreign government entity. It is understandably baffling for many in North America and others located far from the EU to comprehend that an EU entity could enforce its own regulation on organizations across an ocean, well outside of the EU's jurisdiction.
GDPR was not the first attempt by the EU to enforce data protection measures for its citizens outside of its jurisdiction. Following Edward Snowden's recent revelations of global surveillance in 2013, the EU thereafter responded by drawing up a framework with the US called Privacy Shield, which went into effect in 2015.
It was an agreement with the goal of ensuring that US businesses wouldn't distribute EU citizen data to US government agencies. It hasn't been the most effective agreement for the EU as recent reports have come out that the EU feels the US hasn't lived up to its side of the bargain to protection the data of EU citizens.
With that said on the EU's approach to global data protection enforcement, any data processor, in any country, should first turn to their own nation's regulatory approach on data protection and security. If you question whether your nation has some kind legal measures already in place to protect the processing of personal data, the answer for developed nations is almost always a resounding 'Yes!'.
Take Canada for example. The Canadian parliament long ago passed its own nationwide regulation in April, 2000, on data protection and security to promote trust in customer experience for online shopping. The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) is a federal privacy law for private-sector organizations. It sets out the ground rules for how businesses must handle personal information in the course of commercial activity. Since the coming months prior to GDPR going into effect, Canada has been considering new policy reforms to enforce a 'right to be forgotten' option for data subjects and to give individuals the legal right to ask search engines to de-index web pages and take down online information under certain circumstances.
In Mexico, on January 26, 2017, the new General Law for the Protection of Personal Data held by Regulated Subjects (source document in Spanish) was published in the Federal Official Gazette (Diario Oficial de la Federación). The law regulates the processing of personal data by any authority or agency of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the government at the federal, state, and municipal level, as well as by all autonomous bodies, political parties, and public trusts and funds, for which there was no prior framework. Under the law, regulated subjects must implement privacy notices, document security policies, and establish procedures to ensure data owners' rights to access, rectify, or oppose the processing of their personal data by a regulated subject.
This year in the USA, the California State Government passed the California Consumer Privacy Act on June 28, 2018, which will go into effect on January 1, 2020. The law is modeled after GDPR but is certainly more focused on the commercial side of data processing as opposed to how organizations in general process data (more on this to come in a later blog posts comparing GDPR and the CCPA). There's no question in my mind that California won't be the last state to take initiative on this. Other historically 'left-leaning states' such as Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington state are likely to pass their own laws over the next couple of years. It's even been recently reported that the Trump administration is in talks with corporations to roll out its own data protection policy on the federal level. Most recently in the state of Ohio, Republican Governor John Kasich signed into law S.B. 220, the Ohio Data Protection Act ("DPA"). The new law was passed with the hope of incentivizing business community to institutionalize cybersecurity.
Certain South American countries, but definitely not all within the continent, have also stepped up to implement data protection policy reforms. It may come as a surprise, but Colombia actually has a quite intelligible law passed in 2012. Law 1581, reviewed by the Colombian Constitutional Court in Decision C-748/11, contains comprehensive personal data protection regulations, which are intended to implement the constitutional right to know, update and rectify information gathered about them in databases or file, applying to personal data storage and data storage located in an out of Colombia.
Data protection laws are not only enforced in the West but also the East. Numerous Asian and Pacific national governments have passed policy reforms addressing data protection and security. As of the end of 2014, the following jurisdictions in Asia now had already passed comprehensive data privacy laws: Australia (amended), Hong Kong (amended), India (new), Japan, Macao, Malaysia (new), New Zealand, the Philippines (new), Singapore (new), South Korea (new), and Taiwan (amended).
It is a daunting task to take into account the various data protection and security policies being passed on a regular basis. Policy reforms are constantly being amended and passed throughout the world to protect civil liberties and the privacy rights of consumers. In business, your goal is to understand your customer base and gather relevant info on those individuals to provide them with a higher quality of service and developer products that benefit them. Surely, data protection legislation comes off as a huge barrier in helping a business deliver higher quality; but, it doesn't have to necessarily be thought of in that regard.
Understanding where your data is coming from, the purpose of processing that data, determine where and how to store data, the intended goal of processing that data and having your employees be concerned about the processing of personal data can greatly benefit an organization by allowing the organization to clear out unstructured data, develop trust with your customer base, boost company image and, hopefully, increase value from the potential ROI benefits of data protection company policies and procedures. Your company or organization should have a data plan in place to avoid taking time away from your ambitious projects. In general, if your company or organization has some sort of system in place that documents the processing of data, can report breaches internally and to the public and allows for users and customers to have the possibility of opting in/out to have their data processed, then your business should feel content with its system in place to meet basic compliance standards from general data protection policy.
Do you have a Drupal website and you want it to be GDPR compliant?
Please get in touch and see how we can help.
I'm a Digital Solutions Consultant for Brainsum, a Drupal-specialized web development agency based out of Budapest, Hungary. I graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and German in 2011, and recently from Central European University in June 2018, with an MSc in IT Management & Innovation. Over the past couple of years, I've taken a keen interest in data protection, the legislation behind data protection and helping organizations work towards developing privacy experience internally and for their users, employees and customers.


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Seattle Seahawks React To President Trump And Our Flag
Yesterday, the Seahawks decided to stay in the locker room during the playing of the National Anthem prior to their game in Nashville against the Tennessee Titans.
They were reacting to comments made by President Trump on Friday.
The Seahawks released a statement just prior to game time yesterday that said this:
"As a team, we have decided we will not participate in the national anthem. We will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country. Out of love for our country and in honor of the sacrifices made on our behalf, we unite to oppose those that would deny our most basic freedoms. We remain committed in continuing to work towards equality and justice for all. Respectfully, the players of the Seattle Seahawks."
The Times reports, "In an interview on CBS yesterday, Coach Pete Carroll said, 'This is not about the president, I think the players and the owners have stepped to the front and they've showed you what they think of those comments. This is about something different...this is about a time marking its a new day right now. This is a time to change. Our players are ready to activate. They're ready to be the messengers of the change that is necessary...They're the ones who can reach the young people...This is so crucial that we take this opportunity and make the most of it'."
I am a Seahawks fan. I have never met Pete Carroll, but I have liked him as a public figure and coach. I love to watch football. I'm glad so many professional athletes, including Seahawks, claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. Christians.
I am among the growing millions who are becoming disgusted with the presumption of the football players who feel it is their mission and purpose to chastise the American public by publicly refusing to acknowledge our National Anthem and flag.
And I believe Coach Carroll is wrong. It "is" about the president...and our nation.
When Colin Kapernick began kneeling or turning his back toward the flag during the anthem, Barack Obama was president---it certainly was not about the president then. Kapernick, who played for the San Francisco Forty Niners (is now unsigned and not playing in the NFL), apparently had a different agenda.
Even the Left to far Left Seattle Times, Washington Post, New York Times and others are running headlines to this story that clearly indicate yesterday "was" about the president. And America.
And they love it.
Last Friday at a rally in Huntsville, Alabama, President Trump expressed his own personal feelings about professional football players who refuse to acknowledge the flag and our National Anthem.
The president said those players are disrespecting the flag and deserve to lose their jobs.
He said, "That's a total disrespect of our heritage. That's a total disrespect of everything that we stand for," while he encouraged the owners of the teams to take action.
The action he recommended was to fire those players.
"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you'd say get that [expletive] off the field right now. Out! He's fired," Trump told the crowd in Huntsville who were chanting "USA, USA."
While the Seahawk statement spoke to "injustices toward people of color," the comments of other coaches and spokespeople yesterday spoke in much broader terms---about injustices in general.
If it's discrimination against blacks, perhaps it would be helpful to remember that America fought a war, even pitting family members against one another in some cases, to right the wrongs of slavery.
A president was assassinated because he believed no man can own another man. And hundreds of thousands agreed, laying their own life on the line to abolish slavery.
The Civil War alone claimed 620,000 American lives, nearly half of the 1,264,000 Americans lives lost in all our wars.
And we have continued to pass anti-discrimination laws to insure equal opportunity under our law. In 2008, America elected her first black president.
America is the only country in history to fight a national, civil war over a moral principle.
Why bash our country for "inequities" when they could be grateful and contribute to the healing?
It's difficult to see athletes, many of whom are black, who are paid tens of millions---some hundreds of millions of dollars for their contract to play football, stand against our country and our president, dismissing the interests of the fans who in fact pay their salaries.
And it's also difficult to see them essentially standing on a flag that so many gave their lives for. And that so many of us love, and are proud of.
It is about the president. And it is about disrespect for our country.
In fact, in the game yesterday between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens in London, American players kneeled during the American anthem, then stood during "God Save The Queen, Britain's national anthem.
How would McDonalds respond if the kid working at the drive through window, after taking your money, announced he was going to lecture you about his social beliefs and concerns before he would give you your burger?
If the football players are calling for acceptance of the homosexual agenda---and some are, after taking the money of tens of millions of biblical Christians, they are asking us to disavow biblical teachings on the matter, including the teachings of Jesus Christ Himself.
The same would apply to abortion.
If the players are truly advocating for women's rights, they could encourage the millions who watch them play to become a Christian. Christianity has done more to elevate the value of women than any other belief system in the history of the world.
Whatever these "causes" may be, yesterday the NFL team owners and the NFL itself said, "Thanks for your money---now shut up and listen."
Not all football team owners agree.
Fox Business published an article yesterday in which Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboy's owner, weighed in with a different perspective than his colleagues.
He said, "I do not think this is the place to express yourself in society as we recognize the American flag. So that's not the place to do anything other than honor the flag and everybody that's given up a little bit for it."
KING 5 TV in Seattle was asking people on Facebook Live during half time of the Seahawk's game yesterday how they felt about the game.
King 5 says they were shocked when people began telling them they were not watching the game because they had turned it off after the "statement" the team made during the anthem.
Carmen Behnke told KING 5, "Leaving the Seahawks behind."
Beth Fehr told 5, "Turned TV off when they stayed in the locker room for the national anthem, bye, bye Seahawks. Final insult."
Tiffanie Rind said, "People gave their lives to protect and honor this flag...now we have silly football players thinking they can disrespect it???? Some nerve!"
Curtis Martin told KING 5, "BYE, BYE hawks, burning the 12 flag tonight. You don't respect my flag."
Chris Egan, who was hosting the Facebook Live session for KING 5, said there were some fans that didn't mind the protest but said, "I've never seen anything like this from Seahawk fans in all my 17 years covering the team."
Abraham Lincoln once said, " My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth."
It is, Mr. Lincoln. Many of us recognize this. And it is because of people like you and others of like mind who have given their all for their country.
Were he with us today, Lincoln might add his hope is that these overpaid, under informed athletes grow up and get a clue.
Professional football viewership has been in decline since Kapernick began his protest against the anthem last year.
This weekend may be a tipping point that the NFL and television did not anticipate.
No viewers--no money.
Be Informed. Be Thankful for our country.


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This particular eStudy Module One consists of nine 121 live video meetings to facilitate a personalised approach and in-depth transmission between teacher and student. It introduces the student, through an online teaching dialogue, to the primary principles and essential teachings from T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar on the application of Āsana, Prāṇāyāma, Mantra and Sūtra core techniques and theory.
It is offered as a starting point for students wishing to explore the Application of Yoga but finding the range of Yoga practice and study options in the cYs Programme offering too many mono-topic choices. This online programme draws together a number of the core practice and study strands that this approach specialises in into one multi-topic 7.5 hour programme. From this hands-on experience developmental choices will become clearer. For more information on the background to the four topics that make up this online eModule read the Art of Yoga Foundation Study Series Modules One to Five Overview.
Open to all except complete beginners, it is an opportunity for a Yoga Student, Yoga Teacher or Trainee Yoga Teacher from any Yoga background or style to develop and deepen their personal Yoga practice and study through an appreciation of the core teachings that underpin the application of Yoga from the primary principles and teachings from T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar.
It offers an in-depth introduction to the Application of Yoga, through an online appreciation of the core teachings that underpin the art of Yoga Practice and Study, either for personal development or, if relevant, to enhance professional skills. Though complete in itself it is also a introduction and guide for the student to further work in the Online Arts of Yoga Practice and Study Programme Modules.
What are the advantages for students interested in the Foundational Yoga Series eModules?
To present a view of the Application of Yoga to help develop our practice and deepen our relationship with Yoga Practice & Study. They are offered with respect for the vital source from which these Yoga teachings originated and their place in our age and culture. Its role is not to train students as Yoga teachers.
The Online Art of Yoga Foundation Study Module 1 Certificate of Completion is awarded to successful students with 100% attendance. This Certificate is awarded in recognition of the commitment in studying the Application of Yoga Practice Techniques and Practice Theory respecting the spirit of TKV Desikachar's teaching.
The online Foundation Module 1 study is offered to students in the form of nine 121 meetings via Skype, FaceTime, or another compatible live link video medium, to allow for a personalised approach and in-depth transmission between teacher and student.
The fee for the online core study will be a special module exclusive package price of £385 for the nine sessions and includes a pre-prepared PDF manual as a workbook support. For students using the UK Banking BACS payment system this will be the transferable fee.


The Government of Ontario has proposed the Modernizing the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2019 which, if passed, would establish a new governance model for the skilled trades and apprenticeship system. This would be a Ministry-led delivery model with industry input in training programs and regulation. You can find the bill as Schedule 40 at this link.
In order to implement the technical changes necessary to enable the change in fees the College has placed a temporary pause on membership fee collection. Effective Friday, April 12th, the College has temporarily ceased sending out invoices or accepting payments and will begin again at the new rate as soon as possible, but no later than July 5th 2019. Please note that fees at the new rate will be assessed for the period of the temporary pause and will be due after it ends. Fees paid prior to the rate change will be credited towards either OCOT membership fees or the future fee model, as appropriate.
We will provide additional information on when we will resume fee collection as soon as possible.


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eat Willie Horton accepted in her honou
BLAINVILLE, Que. Laken Tomlinson Super Bowl Jersey . - Danick Martel scored twice, including the eventual winner, and the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada held off a late Moncton comeback attempt to pull away with a 3-2 victory over the Wildcats in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action Thursday. Ryan Tesink had a goal and an assist as the Armada took a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-seven set. Frederic Bergeron chipped in with two assists. Will Smith and Ivan Barbashev scored for the Wildcats (0-1), and Stephen Johnson helped on both Moncton goals. Blainville-Boisbriand goaltender Etienne Marcoux stopped 23 shots for the victory. Monctons Alex Dubeau made 21 saves in defeat. The Armada broke out to a 2-0 lead midway through the first period as Tesink found the back of the net on a power play and Martel scored his first of the game nine seconds later. Martel made it 3-0 at 12:09 of the second period. After two scoreless frames, the Wildcats came out firing in the third. Barbashev scored at 2:34 and Smith cut Blainville-Boisbriands lead to one with his goal at 16:04. Dee Ford Super Bowl Jersey . Blown save in the ninth inning? No problem. Arik Armstead Super Bowl Jersey . -- Adrian Peterson remained in a walking boot to treat a high ankle sprain on his left leg on Wednesday, and coach Leslie Frazier said he will not play on Sunday against Atlanta if he cant hit the practice field in the next two days. http://www.thesf49ersshoponline.com/Youth-Joe-Montana-49ers-Jersey/ . LaQuinton Ross scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half, hitting his first four 3-pointers, to send No. CHICAGO -- White Sox rookie catcher Josh Phegley was just trying to put the ball in play. He ended up getting the game-winning hit. Phegley singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning to lift Chicago to a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night. "(Tanner) Scheppers, Ive faced him in college. I know hes a hard-thrower and I just tried to get my foot down and get the barrel on something. I knew a strikeout wouldnt help us there, and if you can just get the bat on the ball and get something through the infield, game over." Avisail Garcia singled with one out and went to third on Dayan Viciedos hit one out later. Phegley then hit a line shot to left off Tanner Scheppers (5-2) to end the game. Nate Jones (4-4) got the win in relief, while Scheppers (5-2) took the loss. The White Sox have won seven of eight. The Rangers, who lead the American League West, had their four-game winning streak snapped and wasted another strong outing by Yu Darvish, who gave up two runs in seven innings while striking out 11 for a no-decision. Darvish also battled out of a jam in the seventh inning -- runners on first and third with none out -- despite battling cramps in both legs. "We battled but they got the big hit it counted," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "We had our chances but we just didnt deliver. Other than that I thought we played a solid ballgame." The White Sox also got another solid effort from starter Hector Santiago, who allowed five hits and two runs in 6 1-3 innings to lower his ERA to 3.25. "Hes doing well," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Santiago. "In the last inning to pull him, he hit a few guys here and there and I think its part of being a little erratic at times, he gets himself in trouble. He has the stuff to get out of it, which is a nice thing to have. Just continue to have him go out there and compete. Hes a tough kid that likes to compete." Phegley didnt start the game and came on in the eighth after the teams other catcher, Tyler Flowers, had been pinch hit for in the seventh. Veteran Adam Dunn provided the other White Sox runs with a two-run homer in the sixth -- to counter a two-run shot by former teammate Alex Rios in the top of the inning. Ventura was pleased to see his young players produce a winning rally. "Garcia gets on there, (Viciedo) gets a base hit, its fun,&quuot; he said. Garrett Celek Super Bowl Jersey. "When you get young guys that are up here for the first time and Phegs gets a walk-off. Thats all good stuff." Even with the hit, Phegley, who was called up from the minors in July, still is batting just .213, so he was happy to take the pounding from his teammates a player gets following a walk-off hit. Its awesome," he said. "Its the best beating of your life. I know (Gordon) Beckham was in there giving me some good shots to the mid-section, but no, its tons of fun. As soon as you get that hit, you cant feel anything for the next 10 minutes. So its great to celebrate with those guys." NOTES: As part of the Civil Rights Game proceedings, Aretha Franklin and Bo Jackson were honoured during the pregame ceremonies. Franklin couldnt attend and former Tigers great Willie Horton accepted in her honour. ... Before the game, White Sox manager Robin Ventura was asked how good Jackson might have been without the hip injury. "Its hard to describe him to people now of how strong, fast and smart of a baseball player he was," Ventura said. "He was good regardless. Well never know, but I havent seen anyone thats had his abilities since." Rangers RHP Nick Tepesch threw live batting practice on Saturday and reported no issues. ... RHP Matt Garza (9-2), a former Cub, makes his return to Chicago Sunday when he faces John Danks (3-10) in series finale. NOTES: As part of the Civil Rights Game proceedings, Aretha Franklin and Bo Jackson were honoured during the pregame ceremonies. Franklin couldnt attend and former Tigers great Willie Horton accepted in her honour. ... Before the game, White Sox manager Robin Ventura was asked how good Jackson might have been without the hip injury. "Its hard to describe him to people now of how strong, fast and smart of a baseball player he was," Ventura said. "He was good regardless. Well never know, but I havent seen anyone thats had his abilities since." . Rangers centerfielder Leonys Martin had to leave the game in the ninth after colliding with left-fielder David Murphy, but Washington said Martin has a slight right ankle sprain and should be fine. . Rangers RHP Nick Tepesch threw live batting practice on Saturday and reported no issues. ... RHP Matt Garza (9-2), a former Cub, makes his return to Chicago Sunday when he faces John Danks (3-10) in series finale. ' ' '
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of ice-time. He continues his rehabilitation fro »


Bronislaw Szerszynski (Sociology, Lancaster University) opened his presentation stating that he wants to use it as an opportunity to develop some ideas about experimental subjection, the being subjected to an experiment. He proceeded in arguing that the force of experimentality can be used as an analogy to the force of law (Agamben, 1998; 2005).
Melissa Leach (STEPS, University of Sussex) opened her presentation observing that it has long been said that Africa is a laboratory, used as a site for many projects that exemplify experimentality on a narrow scale – in the sense of clinical and field trials. Following this she argued more broadly that the development project can be seen as experiment, generating its own institutions and industry; its own experimental practices; its own ways of dealing with uncertainty, evaluating and reaching closure. Leach illustrated how more broadly still a far more global 'experimental condition' is exemplified, as the global systemic effects of interlocked, unpredictable changes become apparent (i.e. climate change, food and energy crises, pandemics). In her talk she offered some thoughts on how experimentality operates at each of these levels and made several cross-cutting observations and arguments that apply (in different ways) to all.
Discussion following 'The Age of the Generalised Experiment' panel with Michael Dillon and Nigel Thrift explored three themes: that of the nature of information systems, that of the counter forces to total war, and that of the politics of the security-entertainment complex.
Nigel Thrift (Vice-Chancellor, University of Warwick) opened his paper by asking a question: What if there were several ontologies constituting the world? He likened the contemporary social reality to 'LIFEWORLD INC.' and proceeded in arguing that there is a new kind of naturalism appearing in the world – although culture is the same, natures differ, thus multiplying ontologies.
Michael Dillon (Politics and International Relations, Lancaster University) opened his presentation by pointing to the two main assumptions that his approach is based on. Firstly, he argued that (modern, western, liberal) war is an experimental practise, explaining that war and experiments in science share a similar history. Secondly, Dillon pointed to the fact that war and experimentation not only go together and but are a logical formation – war is the extension of politics by other means and experiment is an extension of war by other means.
Bogdan Costea's (Organization, Work and Technology, Lancaster University) presentation was an attempt to offer an interpretation of the explosive growth of the idiom of creativity in current managerial and academic culture. His hypothesis stated that, in its current phase, managerialism may have struck gold by appropriating one of the significant elements of the popular self-understanding of a globalised bourgeoisie.
Marion McClintock (Honorary Archivist and former Academic Registrar, Lancaster University) opened her presentation with a comparison of the social reality in Lancaster after the Second World War and now. She explained how, 20 years after the death of Lord Ashton in 1930, the Lancaster community was still dominated by the rivalry of two major family companies, in contrast to 2009 when main Lancaster employers are two universities and a hospital.
David Lomas (AHRC Surrealism Centre, University of Manchester) opened his presentation by emphasizing the far reaching implications of simulation and asking the following question: How is our picture of surrealism altered by restoring simulation to its place at its heart?


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How easy is access to pharmaceuticals in Cambodia?
Are there certified pharmacies in Cambodia?
What hospitals are available in Cambodia and what standard of care do these hospitals offer?
Cambodia's medical establishments are fast closing in on other regional leaders in terms of quality, expertise and consistency of service.
When thinking of Cambodia the word "healthcare" may not spring to mind in too positive a light. The healthcare system has come on leaps and bounds in recent years however; dedicated emergency and trauma centres staffed by internationally trained medical professionals and cutting-edge technology such as Ultrasound, MRI and CT scans ensures that routine procedures can be performed in-country or otherwise reliable diagnoses made and medical evacuation to Bangkok, Singapore or elsewhere arranged rapidly.
Pharmaceuticals are extremely easily accessible in Cambodia, being bought over the counter in most cases. The quality of pharmaceuticals varies greatly, however and many local pharmacies don't have qualified staff, and store medication inappropriately- exposing them to sunlight and extreme temperatures. Beware of cheap products and be sure to check expiry dates, labels, and storage conditions on purchase.
The short answer is yes, although these are concentrated in the major hubs of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, Kampot, Kep and Sihanoukville so if you require preventative medications such as anti-malarials or first aid items, stock up while you're in town.
For cuts and scrapes, a trip to the pharmacy for basics such as plasters and painkillers may suffice but be sure to clean all open wounds thoroughly and regularly – the tropical climate means that infections can set in quick.
Certified pharmacies stocking international standard pharmaceuticals include:
U-Care
22 stores in: Phnom Penh(16), Siem Reap(4), Kampot(1), Kep(1)
Western Pharmacy
#116C, Street 63, Phnom Penh, T: 023 220 606
3 stores in Phnom Penh, open 24 hours (also online shop with home delivery to 8 provinces)
Pharmacie de la Gare
#124Eo Preah Monivong Blvd, Phnom Penh.
Also an outlet in Thai Huot Supermarket, #250, Street 63, Phnom Penh.
Cambodia's major hubs now have several hospitals in which foreigners can receive medical treatment. A good rule of thumb throughout the country is to check the qualifications of your chosen doctor. Children's hospitals are operational throughout the country, though their main focus is Cambodian patients. At such medical centres, patients are charged on a sliding scale, with foreigners expected to pay more than Cambodian nationals.
In the case of an emergency, it's recommended to go to one of the larger hospitals or an internationally recognised clinic. Consultations are relatively inexpensive but transport costs to hospital, especially in Ambulance services, are steep.
Royal Phnom Penh Hospital
Opened in 2014, the Royal Phnom Penh Hospital was a welcome addition to the country's medical landscape and the latest in a succession of Western-standard healthcare facilities to open in the country. A tertiary care hospital managed and operated by Bangkok Hospital Group (also responsible for Royal Angkor Hospital in Siem Reap), the establishment offers cutting-edge technology, and a central location in addition to a staff comprised of 40 internationally trained medical experts from Thailand, Cambodia, the United States and France.
In addition, this was the first hospital in Cambodia to receive Joint Commission International accreditation (JCI), which is awarded to medical establishments with a proven track record of quality and commitment to meeting performance standards.
Sunrise Japan Hospital
As well as adding high-quality facilities in their integrated emergency, stroke and neurosurgical, general medical and check up centres, which were previously lacking in the capital, this Japanese enterprise offers warm hearted bedside manner. Led by Japanese medical staff, experienced Cambodian medical professionals are trained in-service within Japanese hospitals.
Public and other hospitals
Calmette Hospital (Ultrasound, MRI, CT, and X-Ray services are available here, with highly reliable scans).
The Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital
Sen Sok IU Hospital
For less severe medical issues, there are a growing number of clinics and pharmacies in major cities.
Phnom Penh now has several hospitals where foreigners can receive high-quality medical treatment. There are also many clinics in Cambodia, offering everything from basic medical services to physiotherapy, massage and acupuncture, plastic surgery and even Chinese medicine.
The following clinics have good reputations, facilities and qualified staff (often a mix of Khmers trained in the West and expat medical professionals). Pricing is on a sliding scale and dependent upon which doctor you see.
International SOS Cambodia
Khema Clinic and Maternity
Procare Medical Center
Dental care in Cambodia now approaches international standards with many foreign or foreign-trained dentists practicing, especially in Phnom Penh. Everything from a basic clean to more complex procedures, such as root canal work, can be carried out to high standards and the costs are generally less than elsewhere in the region. As with the above general medical clinics, quality depends on which doctor treats you, so always check the qualifications of your chosen dentist.
In Phnom Penh:
Labelle Dental Clinic
Small clinic, but a favourite among expats in Cambodia. Very reasonable fees. Ask for owner Lina.
#77 Street 110, Phnom Penh
Gallery Dental Clinic
Very reasonable prices. Recommended by some expats: Dr. Chenh Chhean Sok
B037 Street 70, Phnom Penh, T: 092 949 493
Eurodental Clinic
Quite high fees. Dr. Eric Le Guen is recommended.
9 street 306, Phnom Penh, T: 012 893 174
Roomchang Dental Hospital
Often turns out to be the most expensive as they try to sell treatments you don't really need.
Also mixed reports about the quality.
4, Street 184, Phnom Penh, T: 023 211 338
In Siem Reap:
Pachem Dental Clinic, Siem Reap Branch
Recommended by expats in Siem Reap. Ask for Dr. Chour Darith
#242, Angkor Wat Avenue (officially: Charles de Gaulle Road),
A little north of Angkor National Museum, T: 063 965 333
Foreign Embassies in Cambodia
Drinking Water & Ice: Is it safe?


College can be confusing and difficult to adjust to for first-year students. A common contributor to this difficulty is navigating the college "lingo". Below is a list of commonly used titles, words, and acronyms to assist you with navigating the university system.
Academic advisor: A member of a school's faculty who provides advice and guidance to students on academic matters, such as course selections.
Academic year: Annual period during which a student attends and receives formal instruction at a college or university, typically from August to May. The academic year at Ohio University is divided into 3 semesters - Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Accredited: Official recognition that a college or university meets the standards of a regional or national association. Although international students are not required to attend an accredited college or university in the United States, employers, other schools, and governments worldwide often only recognize degrees from accredited schools.
Associate's: An undergraduate degree awarded by a college or university upon successful completion of a program of study, usually requiring two years of full-time study. An associate's is typically awarded by community colleges; it may be a career or technical degree, or it may be a transfer degree, allowing students to transfer those credits to a four-year bachelor's degree-granting school.
Audit: To take a class to gain knowledge about a subject, but without receiving credit toward a degree.
Bachelor's: An undergraduate degree awarded by a college or university upon successful completion of a program of study, typically requiring at least four years (or the equivalent) of full-time study. Common degree types include bachelor of arts (B.A.), which refers to the liberal arts, and bachelor of science (B.S.). A bachelor's is required before starting graduate studies.
Bursar: The Bursar's office is located on the ground floor of Chubb Hall. They oversee all aspects of University billing.
Commencement: A graduation ceremony where students officially receive their degrees, typically held in May or June at the end of the academic year, though some colleges and universities also hold August and December ceremonies.
Common Application: A standard application form that is accepted by more than 450 member colleges and universities for admissions. Students can complete the form online or in print and submit copies to any of the participating colleges, rather than filling out individual forms for each school. However, international students will typically need to submit additional application materials unique to each college.
Community college: A public, two-year postsecondary institution that offers the associate degree. Community colleges typically provide a transfer program, allowing students to transfer to a four-year school to complete their bachelor's degree, and a career program, which provides students with a vocational degree.
Conditional admission: An acceptance to a college or university that is dependent on the student first completing coursework or meeting specific criteria before enrollment.
Core requirements: Mandatory courses that students are required to complete to earn a degree.
Course load: The number of courses or credits a student takes during a specific term. On average, students take a course load of 15 credit hours per term to progress toward a timely graduation.
Credits/Credit Hours: Units that a school uses to indicate that a student has completed and passed courses that are required for a degree. Each school defines the total number and types of credits necessary for degree completion, with every course being assigned a value in terms of "credits," "credit hours," or "units."
Culture shock: Feelings of uncertainty, confusion, or anxiety that can occur when adjusting to a new country and culture that may be very different from your own. You may experience culture shock related to the university's location in rural, Southeastern Ohio or related to the environment of higher education in general.
Curriculum: A program of study made up of a set of courses offered by a school.
Dean: The head of a division of a college or university.
Deferral / Deferred admission: A school's act of postponing a student's application for early decision or early action, so that it will be considered along with the rest of the regular applicant group. A "deferral" can also refer to a student's act of postponing enrollment for one year, if the school agrees.
Degree: A diploma or title awarded to students by a college or university after successful completion of a program of study.
Department: A division of a school, made up of faculty and support staff, that gives instruction in a particular field of study, such as the history department.
Discipline: An area of academic study.
Dissertation: An in-depth, formal writing requirement on an original topic of research that is typically submitted in the final stages before earning a doctorate (Ph.D.).
Doctorate (Ph.D.): The highest academic degree awarded by a university upon successful completion of an advanced program of study, typically requiring at least three years of graduate study beyond the master's degree (which may have been earned at a different university). Ph.D. candidates must demonstrate their mastery of a subject through oral and written exams and original, scholarly research presented in a dissertation.
Dormitories (dorms): Student housing provided by a college or university, also known as "residence halls," which typically includes rooms, bathrooms, and common areas.
Double major: A program of study that allows a student to complete the course requirements for two majors at the same time.
Drop: To withdraw from a course. A college or university typically has a period of time at the beginning of a term during which students can add or drop courses.
Dual degree: Program of study that allows a student to receive two degrees from the same college or university.
Electives: Courses that students can choose to take for credit toward a degree, but are not required.
Enroll: To register or enter a school or course as a participant.
Exempt: Not required to do something that other students may be required to do. For example, a school may require all students to take a freshman English course, but some students may be exempt based on their high scores on a college entrance exam or their previous coursework.
Faculty: A school's teaching and administrative staff who is responsible for designing programs of study.
Financial aid: All types of money offered to a student to help pay tuition, fees, and other educational expenses. This can include scholarships, loans, grants, and work study positions.
Fraternity: A student organization, typically for men, formed for social, academic, community service, or professional purposes. A fraternity is part of a college or university's Greek system. Some fraternities, such as those with an academic or community service focus, may be coed.
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test): A standardized graduate business school entrance exam administered by the nonprofit Graduate Management Admission Council, which measures verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing skills. Some business schools accept either the GMAT or GRE.
Graduate school: The division of a college or university, or an independent postsecondary institution, which administers graduate studies and awards master's degrees, doctorates, or graduate certificates.
Graduate student / graduate studies: A student who already holds an undergraduate degree and is pursuing advanced studies at a graduate school, leading to a master's, doctorate, or graduate certificate. A "graduate" can also refer to any student who has successfully completed a program of study and earned a degree.
Grant: A type of financial aid that consists of an amount of free money given to a student, often by the federal or a state government, a company, a school, or a charity. A grant does not have to be repaid.
GRE (Graduate Record Examination): A standardized graduate school entrance exam administered by the nonprofit Educational Testing Service (ETS), which measures verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing skills. The exam is generally required by graduate schools, which use it to assess applicants of master's and Ph.D. programs. Some business schools accept either the GMAT or GRE; law schools generally require the LSAT; and medical schools typically require the MCAT.
Greek life / Greek system: A college or university's collection of fraternities and sororities on campus, whose names originate from letters in the ancient Greek alphabet.
Humanities: Academic courses focused on human life and ideas, including history, philosophy, foreign languages, religion, art, music, and literature.
Independent study: An academic course that allows students to earn credit for work done outside of the normal classroom setting. The reading or research assignment is usually designed by the students themselves or with the help of a faculty member, who monitors the progress.
Internship: An experience that allows students to work in a professional environment to gain training and skills. Internships may be paid or unpaid and can be of varying lengths during or after the academic year.
Ivy League: An association of eight private universities located in the northeastern United States, originally formed as an athletic conference. Today, the term is associated with universities that are considered highly competitive and prestigious. The Ivy League consists of the highly ranked Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University.
Letter of recommendation: A letter written by a student's professor, counselor, coach, or mentor that assesses his or her qualifications and skills. Colleges, universities, and graduate schools generally require recommendation letters as part of the application process.
Liberal arts: Academic studies of subjects in the humanities, social sciences, and the sciences, with a focus on general knowledge, in contrast to a professional or technical emphasis. "Liberal arts" is sometimes used interchangeably with "liberal arts and sciences" or "arts and sciences."
Major: The academic subject area that a student chooses to focus on during his or her undergraduate studies. Students typically must officially choose their major by the middle or end of their sophomore year, allowing them to take a number of courses in the chosen area during their junior and senior years.
Master's: A graduate degree awarded by a college or university upon successful completion of an advanced program of study, typically requiring one or two years of full-time study beyond the bachelor's degree. Common degree types include master of arts (M.A.), which refers to the liberal arts; master of science (M.S.); and master of business administration (M.B.A.).
MBA: A master of business administration degree.
MCAT (Medical College Admission Test): A standardized U.S. medical school entrance exam administered by the nonprofit Association of American Medical Colleges, which measures verbal reasoning and writing skills and physical and biological sciences knowledge.
Merit aid / merit scholarships: A type of financial aid awarded by a college or university to students who have demonstrated special academic ability or talents, regardless of their financial need. Most merit aid has specific requirements if students want to continue to receive it, such as maintaining a certain GPA.
Minor: An academic subject area that a student chooses to have a secondary focus on during their undergraduate studies. Unlike a major, a minor is typically not required, but it allows a student to take a few additional courses in a subject different from his or her major.
Need-based financial aid: Financial aid that is awarded to students due to their financial inability to pay the full cost of attending a specific college or university, rather than specifically because of their grades or other merit.
Net price calculator: An online tool that allows students and families to calculate a personalized estimate of the cost of a specific college or university, after taking into account any scholarships or need-based financial aid that an applicant would receive.
Non-degree Seeking Student: A student who is enrolled in a college or university's courses, but not in a program of study leading to a degree.
Part-time student: A student who is enrolled at a college or university but is not taking the minimum number of credits required for a full course load (12 hours).
Post doctorate: Academic studies or research for those who have completed a doctorate. A "postdoc" can refer both to a person who is pursuing a post doctorate and to the post doctorate itself.
Prerequisite: A required course that must be completed before a student is allowed to enroll in a more advanced one. Sometimes this is also called a "requisite."
Probation: A status or period of time in which students with GPAs below 2.0 must improve their performance. If they are unable to do so, they may be dismissed from the school. Students may also face "disciplinary probation" for nonacademic reasons, such as behavioral problems in the residence halls.
Registration: The process in which students choose and enroll in courses to be taken during the academic year or in summer sessions.
RA (Resident assistant): A student leader who works in residence halls and supervises issues and activities related to residential life. RAs often receive free or discounted housing in the hall in return for their services.
Room and board: Housing and meals. "Room and board" is typically one of the costs that colleges and universities will list in their annual estimated cost of attendance, in addition to tuition, fees, and textbooks and supplies. If students choose to live in residence halls, they may be required to buy into a meal plan to use on-campus dining facilities.
Scholarship: A type of financial aid that consists of an amount of free money given to a student by a school, individual, organization, company, charity, or federal or state government.
Semesters: Periods of study that divide the academic year into two equal segments of approximately 15 to 18 weeks each. Some schools also offer a shorter summer semester, beyond the traditional academic year.
Sorority: A student organization for women formed for social, academic, community service, or professional purposes. A sorority is part of a college or university's Greek system.
TA (Teaching assistant): A graduate student who assists a professor with teaching an undergraduate course, usually within his or her field, as part of an assistantship.
Term: Periods of study, which can include semesters, quarters, trimesters, or summer sessions.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): A standardized exam administered by the nonprofit Educational Testing Service (ETS), which measures English-language proficiency in reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Many U.S. colleges and universities require non-native English speakers to take the TOEFL and submit their scores as part of the admissions process.
Transcript: An official record of a student's coursework and grades at a high school, college, or university. A high school transcript is usually one of the required components of the college application process.
Transfer credit: Credit granted toward a degree on the basis of studies completed at another college or university. For instance, students who transfer from a community college to a four-year college may earn some transfer credit.
Tuition: An amount of money charged by a school per term, per course, or per credit, in exchange for instruction and training. Tuition generally does not include the cost of textbooks, room and board, and other fees.
Undergraduate student: A student enrolled in a two-year or four-year study program at a college or university after graduation from high school, leading to an associate or bachelor's degree.
Withdraw: To formally stop participating in a course or attending a university.
Work-study: A financial aid program funded by the U.S. federal government that allows undergraduate or graduate students to work part time on campus or with approved off-campus employers. To participate in work-study, students must complete the FAFSA. In general, international students are not eligible for work-study positions.