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Amarantus Acquires Majority Interest in CBD Wellness Company Hempori
Strong customer retention at both stores in Dallas, TX with growing online presence
Focus on delivering wellness solutions by engaging customers to participate in clinical studies and provide outcomes data to determine utility of branded CBD products
Order placed for hemp smokes to begin tobacco smoking cessation program
New York, NY and Dallas, TX , Jan. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink: AMBS) ("Amarantus," or AMBS), a biotechnology holding company pursuing proprietary therapeutics and diagnostics through its subsidiaries, today announced that it has acquired a controlling interest in Hempori, Inc., a CBD wellness retailer in Dallas, TX with 2 stores and a growing physical and online presence. Concurrent with this announcement, Hempori has placed an initial purchase order for hemp smokes from Emerald Organic Products, Inc. (OTCPK: EMOR), an Amarantus partner. Amarantus intends to evaluate a smoking cessation program, with an initial focus of getting feedback on the hemp smokable products from customers who are actively seeking to reduce, or cease, chronic use of cigarettes and/or e-cigarettes
"We are very pleased to have come to an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Hempori after over a year of due diligence," said Gerald Commissiong, President & CEO of Amarantus. "We began following Hempori right before they opened their first retail store in December 2018, and have been thoroughly impressed with the attention to detail and care with which Hempori manages its customers. We believe much of the value in the CBD space resides in consumer-facing operations, and that the majority of CBD users have some medical condition for which they are seeking wellness solutions. As such, we believe the concept of health-focused CBD wellness centers fits squarely into the emerging health and wellness landscape. We intend to work closely with partners to optimize the Hempori experience and expand its footprint regionally and across the United States. Amarantus will work closely with Hempori to put Amarantus' clinical trial and FDA-related experience to work in order to position Hempori as a brand distribution leader in the CBD wellness solutions space for customers with medical problems."
Under the terms of the agreement, Amarantus is issuing 25 million shares to Hempori in exchange for 51% of the outstanding shares of Hempori, and was granted an option to acquire the remaining shares from the existing shareholders until December 31, 2020 for additional common stock of Amarantus, or of a successor entity in the event Amarantus is acquired prior to year-end 2020. Hempori generated over $350,000 from its 2 storefronts in fiscal year 2019.
"We are excited to partner with Amarantus who shares a similar vision for helping customers from diverse medical backgrounds find solutions, and capturing the data in a way that may potentially ultimately allow us to make claims that will provide our products with a marketing advantage," said Grant Magers, MBA, CEO of Hempori. "The time to bring CBD to the masses is now, and we have been focused on providing a top notch customer experience that has led to very high repeat customer rate, with the focus being on education on how to use the our products based upon consumer feedback. This iterative process is the only way to gain a true understanding of how CBD can potentially benefit people, allowing us to establish real-world evidence on which to base future clinical trials that show potential benefit of our products in specific medical conditions. The initial focus on smoking cessation is due to significant inbound demand from customers."
Five Key Conclusions from recent Surgeon General report on Tobacco Smoking Cessation:
1. Smoking cessation is beneficial at any age. Smoking cessation improves health status and enhances quality of life.
2. Smoking cessation reduces the risk of premature death and can add as much as a decade to life expectancy.
3. Smoking places a substantial financial burden on smokers, healthcare systems, and society. Smoking cessation reduces this burden, including smoking attributable healthcare expenditures.
4. Smoking cessation reduces risk for many adverse health effects, including reproductive health outcomes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer. Quitting smoking is also beneficial to those who have been diagnosed with heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
5. More than three out of five U.S. adults who have ever smoked cigarettes have quit. Although a majority of cigarette smokers make a quit attempt each year, less than one-third use cessation medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or behavioral counseling to support quit attempts.
NBC News recently provided a summary on this report that is available at https://www.nbcnews.com/health/vaping/e-cigarettes-lead-people-start-smoking-surgeon-general-says-n1121361 .
About Tobacco, Smoking Cessation and E- Cigarettes
The global tobacco market is expected to grow from USD 689.4 Billion in 2018 to USD 934.5 Billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period from 2019-2026. Rising use of automated techniques in manufacturing tobacco products and online retailing is further propelling the growth are the two factors affecting the demand of the market.
Smoking cessation (also known as quitting smoking or simply quitting) is the process of discontinuing tobacco smoking. Tobacco smoke contains nicotine, which is addictive and can cause dependence. Nicotine withdrawal makes the process of quitting often difficult. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, accounting for more than 480,000 deaths every year, or about 1 in 5 deaths, and more than $300 billion in healthcare costs. Seventy percent of smokers would like to quit smoking, and 50 percent report attempting to quit within the past year. Tobacco cessation significantly reduces the risk of dying from tobacco-related diseases such as coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer. Due to its link to many chronic diseases, cigarette smoking has been restricted in many public areas. In nicotine-dependent smokers, quitting smoking can lead to symptoms of nicotine withdrawal such as nicotine cravings, anxiety, irritability, depression, and weight gain. Professional smoking cessation support methods generally attempt to address nicotine withdrawal symptoms to help the client break free of nicotine addiction.
E-cigarettes containing nicotine aren't considered safe for adolescents, young adults or pregnant women. Nicotine can harm brain development in children and young adults into their early 20s and is toxic to developing fetuses. Children and adults have also been poisoned by swallowing, breathing or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In youth and adult nonsmokers, e-cigarette use also poses the risk of a nicotine addiction. This could lead to long-term use of e-cigarettes, the effects of which aren't known, or to the use of traditional cigarettes. Research has shown that teen use of e-cigarettes is on the rise and associated with increased future use of traditional cigarettes. Rarely, e-cigarettes can cause severe harm. Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused fires and explosions, mostly while the batteries are being charged.
About Hempori
The Hempori brand is active in the Hemp industry and has over 75 products that are sold in its own stores in Dallas, Texas and online via Hempori.com. Hempori has developed unique proprietary products in the Hemp industry and is actively engaged with researchers to gather data regarding the utility of its products.
About Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc.
Amarantus Bioscience Holdings (AMBS) is a JLABS alumnus biotechnology company developing treatments and diagnostics for diseases in the areas of neurology, regenerative medicine and orphan diseases through its subsidiaries.
The Company's 80.01%-owned subsidiary Breakthrough Diagnostics, Inc., currently a joint venture with Todos Medical, Ltd. has licensed intellectual property rights to the Alzheimer's blood diagnostic LymPro Test ® from Leipzig University that was originally developed by Dr. Thomas Arendt, as well as certain rights to multiple sclerosis diagnostic MSPrecise™ and Parkinson's diagnostic NuroPro. Amarantus entered into a joint venture agreement with Todos Medical, Ltd. (OTCQB: TOMDF) to advance the diagnostic assets, and Todos has exercised its exclusive option to acquire Amarantus' remaining ownership in Breakthrough in exchange for approximately 49% ownership of Todos. The transaction is expected to close in the frist half of 2020. Amarantus also owns approximately 30% of the common shares of Avant Diagnostics, Inc, a tumor analysis company developing Theralink®, the proprietary phosphoprotein tumor analysis platform run using reverse phase protein array (RPPA) platform.
AMBS' 50.1%-owned subsidiary Elto Pharma, Inc. has development rights to eltoprazine, a Phase 2b-ready small molecule indicated for Parkinson's disease levodopa-induced dyskinesia, Alzheimer's aggression and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD. AMBS acquired Cutanogen Corporation from Lonza Group in 2015 and currently owns 90.1% of that subsidiary. Cutanogen is preparing for pivotal studies with Engineered Skin Substitute (ESS) for the treatment of pediatric life-threatening severe burns. ESS is a regenerative medicine-based, autologous full-thickness skin graft technology originally developed by the Shriner's Hospital that can be used to treat severe burns, as well as several other catastrophic and cosmetic dermatological indications. AMBS' wholly-owned subsidiary, MANF Therapeutics Inc. owns key intellectual property rights and licenses from a number of prominent universities related to the development of the therapeutic protein known as mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor ("MANF"). MANF Therapeutics is developing MANF-based products as treatments for ophthalmological disorders such as Wolfram Syndrome, Retinitis Pigmentosa and Glaucoma, as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. MANF was discovered by the Company's Chief Scientific Officer John Commissiong, PhD. Dr. Commissiong discovered MANF from AMBS' proprietary discovery engine PhenoGuard, and believes several other neurotrophic factors remain to be discovered. MANF and ESS have been licensed to Emerald Organic Products, Inc.
For further information please visit www.Amarantus.com, or connect with the Amarantus on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+.
Amarantus Investor and Media Contact:
Gerald Commissiong
Email: gerald@amarantus.com
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This letter contains forward-looking statements, about the Company's expectations, beliefs or intentions regarding, among other things, its product development efforts, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "may," "should" or "anticipate" or their negatives or other variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. Forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the factors summarized in the filings with the SEC. Amarantus does not undertake any obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


Rather than wait around for the hammer to fall, companies under threat of an intellectual property lawsuit sometimes choose to file a declaratory judgment complaint. Such "DJ" complaints usually ask the court to clear the air and decide the issue in the filer's favor. Declaratory judgment filers are often motivated by the fact that they can choose the court that resolves the lawsuit.
Simoniz USA, Inc. ("Simoniz"), a company that sells cleaning products, filed such a DJ complaint in the District of Connecticut, asking that the court resolve a trademark dispute that it says arose from a "cease and desist " email it received from Dollar Shave Club ("DSC"), a company that sells personal care products including shaving razors. The email asked Simoniz to stop using the mark DOLLAR CLEAN CLUB in Europe and the United States. The court nevertheless dismissed the declaratory judgment action, finding that the trademark controversy was not of sufficient immediacy and reality to warrant its intervention.
The U.S. Supreme Court in its 2007 opinion in MedImmune v. Genentech clarified that a party seeking a declaratory judgment must show that there is a, "substantial controversy, between parties having adverse legal interests, of sufficient immediacy and reality to warrant the issuance of a declaratory judgment." Otherwise there can be no subject matter jurisdiction because federal courts are prohibited from issuing opinions that are merely advisory in nature.
In its analysis, the court found that this email may be sufficient to demonstrate a substantial controversy between the parties relating to use of the DOLLAR CLEAN CLUB mark in the United States. However, that did not end the matter. As the court noted, a "substantial controversy" alone is not enough to sustain a declaratory judgment action. Simoniz must also show that there is "immediacy and reality" sufficient to justify the court stepping in.
In other words, Simoniz was also required to show that there was a definite intent and apparent ability to use the trademark in question. Unfortunately for Simoniz, on the facts, the court found that there was no such definite intent. According to the submissions before the court, at the time the complaint was filed Simoniz was not using the DOLLAR CLEAN CLUB mark in the United States; a visit to its website at the time of the complaint revealed that none of the products on the website were manufactured with a DOLLAR CLEAN CLUB logo. Moreover, the website was not functional at the time of the complaint, as an attempt to order products through the website revealed that it was not possible to place an order.
Based on these facts, the court found that the controversy between the parties regarding use of the disputed mark in the United States did not appear to be immediate or real at the time of the DJ complaint. As such, the email cannot sustain a declaratory judgment action. The court therefore dismissed the DJ complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.
The case is Simoniz USA, Inc. v. Dollar Shave Club, Civil Action No. 16-cv-00688-VAB, before Judge Victor Bolden in the District of Connecticut. A copy of the opinion can be found here.


Fortyfive million people undergo general anesthesia each year. Anesthetic agents suppress normal breathing, so patients need to be mechanically ventilated. In addition, 3.8 million patients in ICUs worldwide undergo mechanical ventilation each year. Fifteen percent of all mechanically ventilated patients develop acute lung injury due to an untreated progressive lung collapse. Thirtynine percent die.
The EIT is a modular system that measures and processes a patient's ventilation parameters using non-invasive bioimpedance technology. Monitoring is accomplished by injecting a high-frequency low-amplitude alternating electrical current through the thorax into a sensor located on the circumference of the thorax, and simultaneous measurement of the resulting electrical field around the thorax using up to 32 electrodes.
swisstom´s innovative electrical impedance tomography (EIT) displays the breathing lung directly on a monitor screen, making it visible to everyone. Like watching a movie, the physician can, for the first time, see what is going on in their patient's chest.
Right at the bedside, they get immediate feedback on therapeutic measures.


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In Memory of Thomas Blake
4-7 PM Friday, February 14 at O'Connell Family Funeral Home of Hudson, and one hour prior to the service at church
2PM Saturday, February 15th at St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Hudson
Thomas Weaver Blake, age 75 of Hudson, passed away February 7, 2014 at the WI Veterans Home in Chippewa Falls, WI. Thomas was born May 29, 1938 in Abbottsford, WI; the son of Melvin and Rachel (Weaver) Blake. Tom graduated from P. J. Jacobs High School in Stevens Point in 1956 and he also graduated from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, obtaining a Bachelors of Science degree in 1960. Tom served his country with the Wisconsin National Guard during the Berlin Conflict. On May 18, 1963 he married Nancy Rae Olingy and their marriage was blessed with four children: Andrea, Allison, Bradley and Bryan. Tom worked as a credit manager in Milwaukee for Commercial Credit Corporation. In 1964, he moved to Hudson, WI and joined Montgomery Ward in the Twin Cities where he worked as an area credit manager for over 25 years, retiring in 1989. During retirement he worked with the family business, Fit To Be Tied, hosting the company at teacher's conventions in 20 different states.
Tom was a devoted Green Bay Packer fan and season ticket holder for over 40 years. He was an outdoorsman who took pleasure in fishing and his many fishing trips to Canada. He thoroughly enjoyed seven summers he spent with his daughter, son-in-law and family, farming in the Swiss Alps. Tom also loved music, especially music from the 30's, 40's and 50's era. He had a strong faith in his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and loved praying for people to be healed by the Lord. He enjoyed reading his Bible and Christian books as a daily devotion.
He was most proud to have celebrated 50 years of marriage to Nancy and was overjoyed that his life long friend and groomsman, Wilson Scribner, and special Army buddy, Jay Tanner from New York, attended their 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration last summer.
Tom was a loving husband, father and grandfather, who will be dearly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy; children, Andrea (David) Norris of Hudson, Allison (Daniel) von Siebenthal of Switzerland and Bradley Blake of Austin, TX; grandchildren: Benjamin and Joseph Norris, Michael and Rachel von Siebenthal, Hannah Blake and Brittany (Justin) Blake Jensen; sister, Lois (Rev. Arthur) Becker; and his beloved dog, Rodie the dachshund. He was preceded in death by his son, Bryan; brother, Dr. Bradley Blake; son-in-law, David Norris; and his parents.
A Gathering of Family and Friends will take place 4-7 PM Friday, February 14, 2014 at the O'Connell Family Funeral Home of Hudson, 520 S. 11th St., and one hour prior to the service at church. A Memorial Service will take place 2PM Saturday, February 15, 2014 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Hudson, with Fr. Guy Usher officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be: Bradley Blake, Todd Hein, Wilson Scribner, Charles Alderman, Dean Moberg and Jay Tanner. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. Funeral services have been entrusted to the O'Connell Family Funeral Home of Hudson (715) 386-3725. www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com
Thomas's Tribute Wall

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


View cart "Out Of The Game: Meet & Mingle for 17 to 30 guests" has been added to your cart.
This is a great choice for a small baseball mystery party. A great game for a baseball party or anytime!
It is 1944. "The Boston Odd Sox" were playing "The Chicago Cheeky Chicks". Petticoat Peterson has made a sudden departure from the field.
Murder versions are also available.
Sometimes embarrassing things are deliberately left out of the history books. They are covered over and forgotten. The truth is that the 1919 World Series wasn't the only black mark in baseball history – there was a far worse event in 1944.
At the tail end of the war, good baseball players were in short supply as they were all overseas doing their duty for their country as part of the war effort. So, as some of you may know, women baseball players were enlisted to fill the gap. What you might not know is that there was still one male baseball team and they played against the women's teams. They were the Boston Odd Sox. The team was comprised of baseball players who couldn't do their military service for various (mainly physical) reasons.
The Odd Sox were competing against the Chicago Cheeky Chicks. The Odd Sox needed to win this game in order to reach the finals. The Chicago Cheeky Chicks were the worst team in the League having not won a single game.
But there were rumors afloat that the Odd Sox were under control of some powerful gambling entities and that they were going to throw this game. A lot of money was resting on it. Most, but not all of the players were in on it as they stood to make an extra year's wages in just one game.
In the first two innings the Cheeky Chicks had performed as admirably bad as usual and the Odd Sox, despite their efforts not to win, were in a slight lead. The problem was that the girls all kept hitting the ball so that it landed on the bases and, thus, it couldn't be easily ignored by the person manning the base.
And the girls – all flat-footed and overweight – didn't run very fast so despite ball fumbles and other tactics, the Odd Sox couldn't not get them out without totally revealing to their fans that they were trying to lose the game. Things were getting desperate for the Odd Sox and it was time for them to bat.
Although they tried to miss hitting the ball, the pitcher Petticoat Peterson kept pitching so that her ball hit their bat no matter where they moved it to.
Then in the last and final innings, Petticoat Peterson made a sudden departure. The game was called off and the police were called in to investigate.
Now you might assume the Odd Sox were responsible, but apparently there was some pretty strong in-fighting going on amongst the players in the Cheeky Chicks. And with fans, managers, gamblers and others involved, no one knew for sure who did it. So now let's relive this moment in history and find out who really did it.
Peachy Cream: "It's really dangerous. It's so easy to break your nails."
Stacey and her husband Joe suggested that we write a mystery about baseball called "Death On The Mound" (now called "Out Of The Game"). And they made various suggestions to us. So we have a lot to be grateful to them for.
We finally had our Death On The Mound party and it was so much fun!
We served hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, cracker jacks, and had strawberry shortcake for dessert. Mouldy Cheese brought a cheese platter with cheese from her "parent's shop" and Slammit Suzie brought candy from her "parent's factory". This theme was perfect for us since we and many of our friends are baseball fans. Our guests really enjoyed the story line and had so much fun becoming their character.
Thanks for writing this wonderful murder, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! I also enjoyed working with you on this project! We look forward to hosting more murders in the future!
The night went well - we adapted it to a large group - #170 people!"
We had a blast - We had over three hundred parents, grandparents, and staff members in attendance on December 3, 2005.
We transformed our cafeteria in a baseball stadium, with locker room and all - We served chilli dogs, nachos, and apple pie - on each table we had baseball tablecloths with a hat and a glove filled with peanuts, popcorn, crackerjacks, chips, and beef jerkey.
I wanted to let you know we recently hosted ""Death On The Mound" (now called "Out Of The Game")... It was a really fun theme to do at this time of year, especially. We served hot dogs, popcorn, crackerjack, peanuts, and Big League Chew bubble gum. Our party was very informal.... but, everyone enjoyed themselves!
"Hello! I recently had a 40th Birthday party for my husband and we used the "Death On The Mound" (now called "Out Of The Game") party kit. Everyone had a great time! Even those people who are usually a bit reserved really came out of their shell for this one! My son "Doorbell Dunstan" was an absolute riot. Thanks for a great party!
PS I purchased the kit, and did a lot of research before I decided on Merri Mysteries."
Here are Susan's victim from her "Death On The Mound" (now called "Out Of The Game") party (see photo no. 3 above).
"Our party on August 1st – "Death On The Mound" – it was a blast!. Such an awesome party!
Also see photos no. 4 and 5 above of Doorbell Dunstan and Shoey Jacobs and Bernie - the party host.
Note: The reading levels of each kit (not just "page" as it says below) were determined by copying and pasting the kit (the meet and mingle for 17 to 30), into The Readability Test Tool (see www.read-able.com).
He is called "Righty" because he bats with his right hand whereas everyone else on the team is left-handed. He carries the team emblem (a skunk) wherever he goes. He couldn't go into the army because he was flat-footed. He is currently unemployed.
He is called "Shoey" because he wears a different pair of shoes to every match. He has more shoes in his cupboard than Imelda Marcos. He couldn't go into the army because he was flat-footed. He works as a waiter at a high-class restaurant.
He is cross-eyed. He couldn't go into the army because of this. He can do fantastic, sneaky curve balls and is a great pitcher as long as you point him in the right direction and as long as he chases after the correct one of the balls he sees. He is the sound man for a radio station.
He has very big hands and when he's awake, he's a great catcher. He couldn't go into the army because he suffers from a rare disease which makes him fall asleep at odd times. He works as a legal clerk for the county office.
He is quick on the mark if he knows what's going on. The problem is that he often doesn't hear the bat hitting the ball so he doesn't know a player is heading his way. He wasn't accepted by the army because he is deaf. He is a university microbiology student. He is a close friend of Sleepy Joe.
He doesn't miss much and he's one of the stars of the team. Unfortunately his skills come in equal weight with his arrogance and he is a bit of a pain. He wasn't in on the scam because he is too much of a big mouth. He has a slight hearing impediment and that he is why he wasn't accepted for military service. He is a car salesman.
She is a reluctant player and not a particularly good one as a result. She is very proud of her long beautiful nails. Her father is very rich so she doesn't have to work.
She works for her parent's cheese factory and that accounts for her smell. She is very keen on the game and a reasonable player.
She wears really brightly colored lipstick which she hopes will distract the opposite team and make everyone not notice how bad she is at baseball. She sells makeup at parties but she doesn't have to work as her family are wealthy.
She is called "Bouncy Betty" because whenever she hits the ball it bounces a lot. She works at a Diners.
She always wears shoes which are a size or two too big for her. These add to her already innate clumsiness. She works in an antique shop.
She loves hearing the ball slamming into her mitt when the batters miss the ball. Unfortunately this rarely happens because the pitcher is so bad. Her father owns the candy store she works in.


Become a YHA member in New Zealand, get benefits across the world!
Because YHA is part of Hostelling International (HI), YHA members automatically receive international HI discounts too. Sweet!
Being a Hostelling International member doesn't just mean you know where to find great quality hostels in over 80 countries.
It means you're part of a global community of travellers who also get a discount when they stay!
Most HI National Associations offer members at least 10% off standard rates; in some places, you can only stay if you're a member so automatically receive a discounted rate. Either way, having a YHA or HI card in your hot little hand is a great way to save you money.
15% off for you and up to three friends!


According to reports a woman was killed after a hilux van failed brake and ran into her shop in the early hours of yesterday in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state.
According to reports, the vehicle destroyed all the properties in her shop - before hitting her to her death.
The location of the accident is yet unknown.


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CulturePerforming Arts
Albertan-born actress Rebecca Northan doesn't shy away from blind dates
By Sydnee Bryant | February 2, 2013
Photo provided by Rebecca Northan
Going on a blind date is nerve-racking enough – imagine going on one with strangers watching. Sounds painful, but Rebecca Northan does it all the time.
The actress, who studied drama at the University of Calgary and taught a semester at the school, is bringing her improv show, Blind Date, to Edmonton this month. In it,Northan plays Mimi, a French clown, who goes on a date with a randomly chosen member of the audience.
While Northam isn't single and has never gone on a blind date in real life, she still gets to play the field through her alter ego. "I marvel at the amazing men I've met because of Mimi. I tend to be a bit more shy," says Northan.
Now Northan bounces back and forth between Calgary and Toronto. On top of acting, she directs, produces, writes and teaches, all while travelling to various cities, including New York, to perform Blind Date and other shows.
Northan began acting out parodies of commercials with her younger brother when she was five. At age 16, she studied improv at the Loose Moose Theatre Company in Calgary. "I was encouraged to make mistakes and be positive about it because failing at something is the fastest way to learn," says Northan.
Sounds kind of like the dating scene. No matter how much you plan for a date, you can't foresee what will happen; just like with Northan's show. "I don't know how the show is going to go on any given night," she says, "It's like a real blind date – you hope for the best, you pray for a human connection. I've been very lucky."
Blind Date runs from Feb.13 to 24.
Culture Take a Bite Truckstop Bloodsuckers was filmed with an entirely local cast and crew, and a low budget Read More
Culture Dave Clarke's Relevant Sounds The sound FX artist makes some noise on the set of The Irrelevant Show. Read More
Culture Lecomber and Shostak on Their Comedic Processes Two local comedians reveal their creative processes. Read More
Fiction, Essays & ReviewsPerforming ArtsVisual Arts


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Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária
Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet. vol.21 no.3 Jaboticabal July/Sept. 2012
Contamination of public parks in Presidente Prudente (São Paulo, Brazil) by Toxocara spp. eggs
Contaminação de praças públicas de Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brasil, por ovos de Toxocara spp
Vamilton Alvares SantarémI; Vanessa Cristina PereiraII; Beatriz Cristina Porto AlegreII
ILaboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine II (Animal Parasitology), Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Universidade do Oeste Paulista - Unoeste, Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil
IIVeterinary Medicine Course, Universidade do Oeste Paulista - Unoeste, Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil
This study aims to evaluate soil contamination by Toxocara spp. eggs in public parks in Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil. Soil samples (500 g) were collected every month over a 12-month period, from 25 parks in different parts of the city (northern, southern, eastern, western and central areas). Two 10-g aliquots of the material collected from each park were subjected to the centrifuge-flotation method to recover Toxocara spp. eggs. Twenty-four out of the 25 squares studied (96.0%) were contaminated and the number of eggs recovered ranged from 1 to 398 per sample. Eggs were recovered all over the year. Despite the number being greater in autumn (p < 0.001), there was no correlation between number egg number and average monthly temperature (r = -0.492; p = 0.148) or between egg number and monthly rainfall (r = -0.299; p = 0.402). Park localization does not influence egg presence (p = 0.7116). Because of the high level of contamination of the parks by Toxocara spp. eggs, prevention of contamination of public areas by larva migrans agents is indicated.
Keywords: Environment contamination, epidemiology, toxocariasis, larva migrans.
O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a contaminação do solo de praças públicas por ovos de Toxocara spp. em Presidente Prudente, São Paulo. Amostras de solo (500 g) foram coletadas mensalmente, durante um período de 12 meses, de 25 praças de cinco diferentes setores da cidade (norte, sul, leste, oeste e central). Duas alíquotas de 10 g do material coletado foram submetidas ao método de centrífugo-flutuação (sulfato de zinco; d = 1.200 g/cm3), para recuperação dos ovos. Das 25 praças estudadas, 24 (96,0%) estavam contaminadas e o número variou de 1 a 398 ovos por amostra analisada. A recuperação foi verificada durante todos os meses do ano, sendo maior no outono (p < 0,001). Entretanto, não houve correlação entre o número de ovos e a temperatura média (r = -0,492; p = 0,148) e a precipitação pluviométrica (r = -0,299; p = 0,402) mensal. Não houve influência da localização dos parques sobre a quantidade de ovos (p = 0,7116). Devido ao alto nível de contaminação de parques públicos por ovos de Toxocara spp., a prevenção da contaminação de áreas públicas pelos agentes de larva migrans é indicada.
Palavras-chave: Contaminação ambiental, epidemiologia, toxocaríase, larva migrans.
Despite inclusion on the list of neglected diseases, human toxocariasis (ocular/visceral larva migrans) is one of the most widespread geohelminth zoonotic diseases in both disadvantaged and developed countries. Human infection is most commonly caused by accidental ingestion of larvated Toxocara spp. eggs that are present in contaminated environments, particularly soil in public areas such as parks and gardens that are frequented by dogs, cats and humans (SANTARÉM et al., 2011).
In Brazil, several studies over the last decade have demonstrated contamination of public places by Toxocara spp. eggs (CAPUANO; ROCHA, 2005; SANTARÉM et al., 2010; CASSENOTE et al., 2011). Previous studies have considered that contact with soil is a risk factor for toxocariasis in humans. Thus, the presence of environmental contamination is considered to be the best risk indicator for Toxocara spp. infection of human populations.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of climate, season and geographical location on the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs in public parks in Presidente Prudente, state of São Paulo, Brazil.
Presidente Prudente (22º 10' 30" S and 51º 25' 28" W) is the biggest city in the western part of the state of São Paulo, and its current population is approximately 220,000. The city has 47 public parks, and 44 of them contain children's playgrounds. In order to study soil contamination, five parks from each of different areas of the municipality (central, southern, northern, eastern and western areas) were randomly selected, thus totaling 25 (53.2%) out of the 47 squares. A total of 500 g of soil was sampled every month, between March 2010 and February 2011. To recover Toxocara spp. eggs, a technique described elsewhere was used (SANTARÉM et al., 2009). The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the number of eggs in different areas, months and seasons, while Spearman's correlation was used to evaluate the influence of temperature (ºC) and rainfall (mm) on the number of eggs.
It was observed that 96% (24/25) of the studied parks were contaminated by at least one Toxocara spp. egg. The numbers of eggs recovered ranged from 1 to 398 within the same sample. The contamination observed in this study was higher than what had previously been observed in other studies carried out in Brazil (SANTARÉM et al., 2010; CASSENOTE et al., 2011).
It has been stated that environmental and technical factors, such as the type of soil and the technique used for egg recovery, presumably influence the recovery of ascarid eggs from environmental samples (NUNES et al., 1994; SANTARÉM et al., 2009). Consequently, these factors can influence the process of egg recovery, which creates difficulties in comparing the results from different investigations.
Egg recovery was observed in all the months of the year. A higher number of eggs was observed in the autumn (p < 0.001) (Table 1). No correlation was found between the number of eggs recovered and the average monthly temperature (r = -0.492; p = 0.148) or between the number of eggs and the monthly rainfall (r = -0.299; p = 0.402). Seasonal fluctuation may also influence the recovery of eggs from soil samples (CHIEFFI; MÜLLER, 1976; QUEIROZ et al., 2006). Nevertheless, in southern Brazil, there are no difference between the numbers of eggs recovered in summer and winter (TIYO et al., 2008). In the present study, eggs were detected throughout the year, but the recovery rate was significantly higher in autumn, in contrast with some studies carried out in south Brazil. Chieffi and Müller (1976) observed the greater contamination in winter and spring, while Gallina et al. (2011) verified the greatest incidence of parasites in the spring.
Viable eggs were observed in 183 (61%) out of the 300 samples analyzed. Larvated eggs were observed in eight out of 183 (4.4%), while embryonated eggs were recovered in 175 samples (95.6%). These data suggest that the soil composition and climatic factors may have a positive influence on the viability of the eggs in the environment. According to Nunes et al. (1994), the distribution of ascarid eggs is more homogeneous in sandy soil, which was the most common type of soil observed in the children's playgrounds where the samples were collected.
Regarding the frequencies of eggs in the parks in different areas, taking into account the season, the highest average count was found in the eastern zone. Egg recovery was significantly higher in the autumn in all the areas studied (p < 0.01), excluding the southern area. No significant difference was seen in comparing the average numbers of eggs obtained from the five areas in the same month (p = 0.7116). There is some controversy regarding the influence of sampling location on soil contamination. In this study, there was no significant correlation between the average number of eggs and the locations of the parks. On the other hand, in other studies carried out in Brazil, the highest frequency of contamination was present in parks located on the outskirts (CHIEFFI; MÜLLER, 1976; COELHO et al., 2001; SANTARÉM et al., 2010). Thus, it is possible that climatic factors influenced the conditions for maintaining the eggs throughout the year.
Ancylostomatidae eggs (n = 15) were recovered in 12 (48%) of the studied parks, ranging from 1 to 2 eggs per sample. Recovery of both Ancylostomatidae and Toxocara spp. eggs in the soil samples points towards free access by pets, with consequent contamination of the soil. Access by dogs and cats to the parks may influence the degree of soil contamination by Toxocara spp. eggs. Cassenote et al. (2011) observed that the frequency of geohelminth findings in fenced parks (11.1%) was significantly lower than in non-fenced-off areas (45.3%). In the present investigation, it was seen that pets had access to the parks, even those that were fenced.
The climatic conditions of Presidente Prudente and the characteristics of the soil in its parks are favorable for maintenance of Toxocara spp. eggs throughout the year. In addition, the frequency of eggs together with the free access of pets to the parks creates an important resource for infection of population by agents of larva migrans.
To the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) for the fellowship to Vanessa Cristina Pereira (Process number 2009/18361-4). To the Unoeste Meteorological Center for providing the meteorological data.
Capuano DM, Rocha GM. Environmental contamination by Toxocara sp. eggs in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo 2005;47(4):223-226. PMid:16138206. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652005000400009 [ Links ]
Cassenote AJF, Pinto Neto JM, Lima-Catelani ARA, Ferreira, AW. Contaminação do solo por ovos de geo-helmintos com potencial zoonótico na municipalidade de Fernandópolis, Estado de São Paulo, entre 2007 e 2008. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2011;44(3):371-374. PMid:21552740. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822011005 [ Links ]
Chieffi PP, Müller EE. Prevalence of parasitic diseases by Toxocara canis in dogs, and the finding of eggs of Toxocara species in the soil of public places in the urban area of Londrina, State of Paraná, Brazil. Rev Saúde Pública 1976;10(4):367-372. PMid:1019565. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89101976000400010 [ Links ]
Coelho LMPS, Dini CY, Milman MHSA, Oliveira SM. Toxocara spp. eggs in public squares of Sorocaba, São Paulo state, Brazil. Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo 2001;43(4):189-191. PMid:11557996. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652001000400002 [ Links ]
Gallina T, Silva MAMP, Castro LLD, Wendt EW, Villela MM, Berne MEA. Presence of eggs of Toxocara spp. and hookworms in a student environment in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet 2011;20(2):176-177. PMid:21722496 [ Links ]
Nunes CM, Sinhorini IL, Ogassawara S. Influence of soil texture in the recovery of Toxocara canis eggs by a flotation method. Vet Parasitol 1994;53(3-4):269-274. PMid:7975122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0304-4017(94)90190-2 [ Links ]
Queiroz ML, Simonsen M, Paschoalotti MA, Chieffi PP. Frequency of soil contamination by Toxocara canis eggs in the south region of São Paulo municipality (SP, Brazil) in an 18-month period. Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo 2006;48(6):317-319. PMid:17221127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652006000600003 [ Links ]
Santarém VA, Felix A, Rodenas RS, Assis APD, Da Silva AV. Contaminação por ovos de Toxocara spp. em praças públicas das regiões central e periurbana de Mirante do Paranapanema, São Paulo, Brasil. Vet Zoot 2010;17(1):47-53. [ Links ]
Santarém VA, Magoti LP, Sichieri TD. Influence of variables on centrifuge-flotation technique for recovery of Toxocara canis eggs from soil. Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo 2009;51(3):163-167. [ Links ]
Santarém VA, Rubinsky-Elefant G, Ferreira, MU. Soil-transmitted helminthic zoonoses in humans and associated risk factors. In: Pascucci S. Soil contamination. Rijeka: InTech; 2011. p. 43-66. PMid:19551291. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652009000300007 [ Links ]
Tiyo R, Guedes TA, Falavigna DL, Falavigna-Guilherme AL. Seasonal contamination of public squares and lawns by parasites with zoonotic potential in Southern Brazil. J Helminthol 2008;81(1):1-6. PMid:18053297 [ Links ]
Vamilton Alvares Santarém
Laboratório de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva (Parasitologia), Hospital Veterinário, Universidade do Oeste Paulista - Unoeste
Rod. Raposo Tavares, Km 572, Bairro Limoeiro
CEP 19067-175, Presidente Prudente, SP, Brasil
e-mail: vamilton@unoeste.br
Received October 20, 2011
Accepted March 20, 2012
FCAV/UNESP - Departamento de Patologia Veterinária
Via de acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane s/n, Zona Rural,
14884-900 Jaboticabal - SP, Brasil
Fone: (16) 3209-7100 RAMAL 7934
cbpv_rbpv.fcav@unesp.br


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Agnitum Ltd. was founded in 1999 in St. Petersburg , Russia as a software company. In 2000 Agnitum hired 2 developers and increased the number of staff to 20 until 2002. Agnitum was originally focused on anti-trojan and PC connections monitoring solutions targeted on Windows PCs users. The company is known as a personal firewall and Internet securityproducts provider. Outpost Firewall Pro , the flagship product of the company, was released in 2002 together with its freewaresolution (updated once in 2009). Agnitum's products are mostly consumer-oriented, taking into account licensing Agnitum's products technologies to several national security software publishers.
On January 14, 2016, Agnitum confirmed on its official blog that the company was acquired by Yandex in December 2015. [2] On February 28, 2017, as the final phase of the sale to Yandex, the Agnitum site and its user forum was shut down.
Agnitum was established as a software producer in 1999 in St. Petersburg, Russia by Baltic State Technical University .
Distributing own software as shareware , Agnitum has sold their niche software. After entering in 2002 to the PC's Agnitum software has become rather popular.
In 2002 Agnitum began to implement an international distribution strategy, putting in place agreements with partners for the major European markets as well as Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland. Between 2003 and 2006 Agnitum strengthened its European, American and Far East market positions.
The personal firewall engine of the company has become integrated into several other firms' security solutions. Partnering with IT security vendors to provide the personal firewall and anti-spyware technologies, in 2003-2006 Agnitum has announced contracts with anti-virus solutions vendors (as a whole re-branded software or part of the vendor's suite): Sophos (UK, USA ), Lavasoft (Sweden), Novell (USA), VirusBuster (Hungary) and others.
In 2006 Agnitum had criticized Microsoft's OneCare Firewall – Agnitum claimed it leaks when it's all over the world. Agnitum's Chief Software Architect posted its less-than-glowing assessment of Microsoft's Windows Firewall, part of the company's entry into the security software business.
in 2006 Agnitum has entered a strategic alliance with VirusBuster , [3] experienced anti-virus vendor from Hungary . Agnitum has gotten to the market of Internet Security Suite solutions to compete with anti-virus vendors ( Kaspersky, ZoneLabs , etc.) who have had their personal firewall in their personal security solutions adware, spam and web content filtering engines).
In 2007-2008 Agnitum finally entered the market of anti-virus solutions. Its anti-virus products have been tested and tested by the Viruses ' VB100 and Anti-Malware.ru's anti-virus tests, and the Outpost Firewall's have been tested by the leaktests and killtests at the independent research portals.
In 2009 and 2010 Agnitum released two freeware editions for ict software Outpost – Outpost Firewall Pro (Free edition) and Outpost Security Suite Free to continuous competition with well-known ZoneAlarm , Comodo and other free PC firewall vendors.
Agnitum's first software products were anti-trojan tool Tauscan [4] and PC connections monitoring tool Jammer.
Anti-trojan software , Tauscan, has just gotten attention paid by the media and received some awards. [5] Jammer was focused on detecting and blocking attacks from hackers; So it was a prototype for the Personal Firewall Outpost, launched simultaneously in "Free" and "Pro" versions in March 2002.
In March 2007 Agnitum released free anti-spam plug-in for Microsoft Outlook filtering and Outlook Express mail (supports The Bat! Since 2008).
In May 2007 Agnitum released combined Internet Security suite solution – Outpost Security Suite Pro (OSSP). It was a proactive solution on the basis of Outpost Firewall, Agnitum Anti-Spam and licensed Anti-Virus combined with Agnitum's Anti-Spyware.
In October 2007 Agnitum released Microsoft Vista-compatible Outpost "2008" products. Outpost Firewall Pro has been tested and tested by Matousec Transparent Security Firewall.
In 2010 Agnitum released for freeware solution – Outpost Security Suite Free to include anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-spam as free Internet Security suite.
At the moment, Agnitum's security products are available in the following languages: English, German, French, Spanish and Russian (by default). There are also lots of localized versions of Italian, Polish, Hungarian, Japanese, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Korean, Turkish, Dutch and Brazilian Portuguese.
Technology licenses
Agnitum's firewall, anti-spyware and anti-virus engines became almost independent products. Several IT security companies have been licensing Agnitum's technologies, and integrating it into their own products. – Novell OS Client Security Agent – Sophos (for Corporate Edition Client Agent) – Bullguard (for Internet Security Solution) – Lavasoft (for personal firewall client client) – CAT / QuickHeal (Indian anti-virus vendor solutions, for Total Security solution)
Jump up^ [1]
Jump up^ Yandex Acquired Agnitum technology for Yandex Browser
Jump up^ see VirusBuster OEM partners ArchivedSeptember 30, 2009, at theWayback Machine.
Jump up^ see[2]as an example of notability
Jump up^ see Editor's Choice Awards in PCMag Review of Anti-trojan tools for 2002 "Archived copy" . Archived from the original on 2016-03-03 . Retrieved 2009-09-13 .
360 Safeguard
AOL Active Virus Shield


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Afrobo Cup, 2018
Solve IT
Transparent AI
In Artificial Intelligence, Young Ethiopians Eye a Fertile Future
May 31, 2018 by icog in Africa, African Youth, Artificial Intelligence, Development, Economy, Education, The Future | Leave a comment
By: Thomas Lewton and Alice McCool
"I DON'T think Homo sapiens-type people will exist in 10 or 20 years' time," Getnet Assefa, 31, speculates as he gazes into the reconstructed eye sockets of Lucy, one of the oldest and most famous hominid skeletons known, at the National Museum of Ethiopia. "Slowly the biological species will disappear and then we will become a fully synthetic species," Assefa says.
"Perception, memory, emotion, intelligence, dreams — everything that we value now — will not be there," he adds.
Assefa is a computer scientist, a futurist, and a utopian — but a pragmatic one at that. He is founder and chief executive of iCog, the first artificial intelligence (AI) lab in Ethiopia, and a stone's throw from the home of Lucy. iCog Labs launched in 2013 with $50,000 and just four programmers. Today, halfway up an unassuming tower block, dozens of software developers type in silence. Their desks are cluttered with electronic components and dismembered robot body parts, from a soccer-playing bot called Abebe to a miniature robo-Einstein. An earlier prototype of Sophia, a widely recognized humanoid robot developed by Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics (she appeared with late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon last year) is here too. Arguably the world's most famous robot of her kind, Sophia's software was partly developed here in Ethiopia's capital.
In stark contrast to the famine-stricken images that linger in the minds of many Westerners, Addis Ababa has, in recent years, become a hub for international business and diplomacy. Glitzy new office blocks and hotels continue to rise across the sprawling capital, and while Ethiopia is still ranked among the world's poorest countries in terms of GDP per capita, it is also among the fastest growing.
Assefa hopes to place artificial intelligence at the heart of Ethiopia's rapid development, but he receives little backing from the government, which has been encouraging investment in the manufacturing sector. "They think that advanced technologies are a luxury," he sighs, as we sit in the Lucy-themed restaurant next door to the museum. "It's not a luxury, it is crucial."
His logic might not seem immediately obvious in a country like Ethiopia, which is once again facing a food crisis. Throughout history, development has tended to follow a well-trodden path, with employment moving from farm to factory, and then from factory to the office. Such was the trajectory for the rapidly developing economies of East Asia — South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia — in the 1970s and 80s.
But this path to development may make less sense in an age of digital ubiquity — in part due to what futurist Ray Kurzweil has called the Law of Accelerating Returns, which holds that as technology advances at an exponential rate, so does its impact on society. "One can argue that information technologies are far more disruptive than industrial technologies were," explains J.P. Singh, a professor of culture and political economy at the University of Edinburgh. "It took a long time for industrial technologies to diffuse all over the world, and in some places it still hasn't happened — but mobile telephony is almost ubiquitous."
Getnet Assefa works at iCog Labs with a 'Robo-Einstein' at his side. He's hoping Ethiopia can use expertise in artificial intelligence as a springboard to development. Visual: Thomas Lewton for Undark
Artificial intelligence is the latest technology sweeping the world, and consultancy firm McKinsey predicts that up to 30 percent of the global workforce could be displaced by 2030 because of advances in AI, robotics, and digitization. And that's why Assefa and other stakeholders think Ethiopia would do better to skip the manufacturing stage of development and invest instead in a high-tech workforce — including one that at the cutting edge of AI. This, he argues, would help Ethiopians find a new path to development by riding the wave of technological disruption.
"We should not start from steam and railways, or the old technologies — that is already done," Assefa argues.
That makes sense to academics like Singh — though he also cautions that political forces are often slow to see the bigger picture. There is definitely an opportunity for developing countries, he says. "But any time we have a technological revolution, the political institutions have to catch up."
A 2017 report by the World Wide Web Foundation suggested that Ethiopian "intelligence services are using machine intelligence techniques to break encryption and find patterns in social media posts that can be used to identify dissidents." And while mobile phone and internet penetration in Ethiopia is comparatively poor — a situation made worst amid widespread anti-government protests, which prompted an internet crackdown in February — the report added that government surveillance and oppression could increase as the use of smartphones expands.
But where some people see artificial intelligence as a threat, Assefa sees it as an opportunity. He grew up playing with household appliances, learning first-hand how they solve problems and wondering why technology was not more evenly distributed: "I was curious about robots and automation: Why are people farming? Why don't they just use machines and other inventions?" By teaching Ethiopians how to use AI technologies he hopes to equip them to find their own path to development.
Solve IT is a nationwide program launched by iCog this year that teaches young Ethiopians the essentials of computer coding, hardware, and entrepreneurship — challenging them to find technology-based solutions to community problems. "We used to hear about the invention of artificial intelligence, how it would be useful for people, but there aren't many products made with that here in Africa," says 20-year-old Yonathan Amaniel, a student at Mekelle University in the far north of Ethiopia. "In developed countries they make home assistants. We don't need products to make our lives more comfortable, we need products to survive," he tells us by a dusty roadside on the outskirts of the city. Under his arm is an early prototype for a self-driving tractor that he and his classmates have been working on.
Team member Bisrat Seyoum comes from a family of subsistence farmers. "My father told me that ploughing using just human power and ox power is so difficult. It uses so much energy and it's still not enough to make a profit from," he says. The students hope their self-driving tractor will one day ease the struggle of many Ethiopian farmers. He and other students envision tractors outfitted with advanced sensors that avoid obstacles, plan farming, and detect soil moisture.
The benefits could go beyond economics in Ethiopia — a communal culture where traditionally people spend several hours a day drinking coffee together. "If work is given to robots, we can really experience what being human is," suggests Betelhem Dessie, one of Solve IT's project coordinators. "We are social animals, we're dependent on others, but we're not really doing that currently."
At Mekelle University, Girmay Araya, 20, demonstrates his team's model AI tractor in a flower bed.
Visual: Thomas Lewton for Undark
School children learn to count with YaNetu, and AI-driven teaching tablet.
Visuals: Thomas Lewton for Undark
But the team's futuristic tractor is ambitious, and they are clearly a long way from its realization. Like Seyoum's family, most farmers in Ethiopia have no access to a tractor, let alone one outfitted with AI. More broadly though, as the price of computing power continues to plummet artificial intelligence is becoming accessible to Ethiopians. "If you have a laptop and a brain you can do AI," says Assefa. "Oh, and an internet connection."
An iCogger fixes the camera on Abebe, a soccer-playing robot.
Watching over the young AI-enthusiasts is software engineering student Eman Asfaw, who at 22 is barely older than the group she is training. Though she shares their youthful enthusiasm and ene
rgy — laughing with the rest as the tractor prototype awkwardly stops and starts — she is clearly wise beyond her years. Like most Ethiopians, Asfaw is proud of her country's anti-colonial history and distinct, ancient culture. This includes the Amharic language.
"One of the coolest things I can imagine is Amharic natural language processing (NLP) built and integrated with Sophia the Robot!" she exclaims. "I believe it can inspire the Ethiopian youth to actually get really engaged in AI and feel like it's their thing."
"I want to see more youth getting inspired by NLP, to create sophisticated software that would help the average Ethiopian," she adds.
BUT ASFAW'S aspirations do face a new sort of colonialism. Silicon Valley's tech giants have near monopoly control over the world's data — information that is often used as the foundation for machine learning and the development of artificial intelligence applications.
Getnet Assefa gazes over the remains of Lucy, the 3.2 million-year-old hominid discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. He has high hopes for his country's digital future.
"Digital colonialism is the new deployment of a quasi-imperial power over a vast number of people, without their explicit consent," explains Renata Avila of the World Wide Web Foundation. For Avila, "going local" is the logical way to subvert this: from decentralized social media to AI programmed in indigenous languages, by indigenous people — without the learned racial or gender biases observed in existing AI systems.
"Instead of one-size-fits-all AI," Avila says, "we could be placing the developments closer to the people and empowering local communities to both participate in its design, benefit from the data they generate and increase the accountability of the systems serving them."
That's at the heart of another of Assefa's projects, called YaNetu. It is a virtual, open-source, Amharic-speaking AI teacher based on the same software as Sophia the robot. Assefa hopes that YaNetu will one day disrupt education systems in the world's developing countries.
"For the kid in Africa, the cost of a tablet will become the same as a book; one kilogram of silicon will be equal to one kilogram of paper," Assefa explains. And instead of rote-learning and one-size-fits-all syllabi, those tablets could be outfitted with a localized, linguistically appropriate version of YaNetu, which would be capable not just of teaching, but of learning the child's interests, abilities, and learning style— adapting her teaching approach accordingly.
In only five years, the team working to develop YaNetu has multiplied 20-fold, and they already boast clients like Huawei, Hershey Foods, and even Hanson Robotics — the creators of Sophia.
But without government support and additional investment, Assefa worries that the embryonic high-tech and AI movement he's attempting to foster in Ethiopia will remain a mere shadow of those in Silicon Valley and East Asia. "Google is investing [in AI], Facebook is investing, the Russian government is investing, the Chinese Communist Party is investing," Assefa says.
"Not a hundred thousand dollars like us," he adds with a smile, "but a million billion dollars."
–From the editors of iCog-labs.com
This article was originally published on Undark on May 30, 2018. It is republished here with the permission of the Authors and their verbal consent of the Ministry.
Thomas Lewton is a science writer and documentary filmmaker whose freelance film and photography work has been featured on the BBC, VICE, and The Guardian. Alice McCool is a freelance journalist who lives between Uganda and the U.K. Her work has been published in outlets such as The Guardian, VICE, and BBC News.
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Come summertime, Onion Marmalade is a condiment that I use in many dishes. My Seriously Simple motto is seek out maximum flavor and spend minimum time in the kitchen. Even though it takes some time to cook this, you will have it on hand for a variety of different dishes. It can take the place of traditional sauces like ketchup or mustard or can be an extra layer of flavor in a sauce or dip.
There is lots of room for you to personalize this flavor enhancer. Feel free to add a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme. You can also choose your favorite onion varieties like Maui, yellow or red onions. Use port, beer or red wine instead of the balsamic and wine. (Just keep the same proportions in the recipe.) Add shredded Belgian endive or fennel for a slightly bittersweet flavor. I like throwing in pitted and finely chopped black or green olives to add an earthy taste. You can keep this for a month in your refrigerator.
Use as a filling in omelets, frittatas and in dips.
Add to cooked vegetables like green beans, spinach, broccoli or cauliflower.
Use as a topping on pizza or bread.
This recipe may be doubled or tripled. Make sure to use a larger deep casserole to accommodate the larger amount of onions.
Heat oil in large non-aluminum casserole on medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for about 12 to15 minutes or until well softened. Stir frequently.
Add the wine, balsamic vinegar and sugar to the onions and simmer on low heat until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and the onions are very tender and caramelized into a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Watch carefully towards the end to avoid burning the onions. Add the salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning. Cool and serve at room temperature.
Advance Preparation: May be prepared up to a month ahead, covered in an airtight container and refrigerated.


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Home › Military
Harley-Davidson® of Dallas Military Appreciation
We support the men and women who risk everything to defend our freedom. Harley-Davidson® of Dallas in Allen Texas wants to show our support for those who are currently serving or who have served our country. We offer exclusive pricing as part of our military appreciation program, and don't want to miss any chance we have to express our thanks.
SPECIAL INCENTIVES AND PROGRAMS FOR MILITARY
There's not a program or discount that could adequately convey the respect we feel for those who are serving or who have served our country. Because we feel a deep gratitude toward members of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, Harley-Davidson® of Dallas offers these military support benefits.
FREE SHIPPING FOR ACTIVE AND DEPLOYED MILITARY
If you need Harley-Davidson® apparel, bike accessories, even Black Rifle Coffee Company brew, just let us know. We'll provide free shipping to any APO, FPO or DPO. Just tell us what you want to buy and where to send it.
OVERSEAS SUPPORT THROUGH HARLEY-DAVIDSON®
If you need insurance coverage for your Harley® while you're overseas or extended H.O.G.® membership, we'll get you information on Harley's® Operation Extend the Ride. Harley-Davidson® also has support programs for overseas military sales. No matter where you're stationed, get in touch with your local Harley® dealership in Allen Texas and we'll help accomplish your goals.
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Active and deployed military receive a reduced rate, no down payment and flexible term options through Harley-Davidson®. Plus, we provide nationwide warranty coverage and other benefits just for military. Receive special military financing when you buy a new Harley-Davidson® Street, Sportster, Softail, Touring, Trike or CVO. We also offer special military financing when you buy a used motorcycle.
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All active and veteran military receives free admission around Veteran's Day (check with the museum, dates change yearly) and discounted daily admission to the Harley-Davidson® Museum in Milwaukee.
OTHER WAYS OUR ALLEN MOTORCYCLE DEALERSHIP SUPPORTS MILITARY
Harley-Davidson® of Dallas in Allen, Texas also offers the following:
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Special Loyalty Rewards for Veterans - Veterans receive 2 times the Loyalty Rewards points for every dollar spent.
Military Appreciation Day/Veteran's Day Celebration - Every year this bash celebrates, honors and remembers those who have served.
Wounded Warrior Project Supporters - We're proud to support this nonprofit that offers a range of programs, services and events for veterans wounded after 9/11.
We're also proud to employ members of the military, including a Purple Heart recipient.
At Harley-Davidson® of Dallas in Allen, Texas, our entire staff looks forward to having the chance to serve you. Get in touch online or come by and see us today.


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Which Belief Do Judaism Christianity And Islam Have In Common
Click here to download the printable PDF>> The Ethics and Pro-Social Values of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Lynn Kunkle. Jewish Values. Pro-social Values: Ethical Monotheism Abraham was the first to link individual belief and worship in the one God to social values and responsibilities.
When we argue about God, it is often about the traditional form of God presented by the Judeo-Christian theology. This type of God is highly personalized yet purportedly universal. This concept of God.
9/11/2010 · From Judaism, Christianity and Islam derived the doctrines of monotheism, prophecy, resurrection, and a belief in the existence of heaven and hell. Both Islam and Christianity have a.
Although Europe was nominally orthodox Christian throughout the Middle Ages, there were a number of movements which.
Dec 14, 2015. tions of reformation and renewal do not only occupy Christian circles alone. While other religious. at initiation into the sacred practices of the believing community. Revela-. a nutrient that Judaism, Christianity and Islam have it within their power. The declaration, aptly titled "A Common Word Between.
Hamas and Abbas have more in common than the fact they rhyme. Hamas insists that any peace which they will accept will have.
Find out what leading biblical scholars have to say on the issue. Theism – the belief in the existence of a supreme Being (God). Atheism – the. Major monotheistic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) do believe in one supreme God.
Sep 4, 2012. A longstanding debate has been whether ethics plays a role in. It is significantly broader than the common conception of analyzing right. Revealed religions like Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam do prescribe some clear. of making ethical decisions independently of their religious beliefs.
Bakersfield Hillcrest Seventh Day Adventist Church Bakersfield Ca And I was one myself." The Nauses have been health advocates for more than 30 years, inspired by joining a Seventh-day Adventist church. Within the last 10 years, they further adjusted to a vegan diet. "The sanctuary got hit the hardest," said Joshua Mura, pastor of Oildale Seventh Day Adventist Church. In addition, the "family"
They all are religions that were founded in Middle Eastern countries. Jesus was from modern day Syria. Muhammad was from Saudi Arabia Abraham was.
Common in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are very similar in their own ways. "Judaism Christianity, and Islam, in contrast to Hinduism and Buddhism, are all monotheistic faiths that worship the God of Adam, Abraham, and Moses-creator, sustainer, and lord of the universe." Also these faiths,
1/1/2002 · That tended to emphasize the distance between religions. More recently, we have come to understand that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam–the so-called Abrahamic religious heritage–have common roots and many common elements. Thus, we are nowadays looking also at the similarities and common elements of these religions.
A recent On Faith column by playwright and former professor John Nassivera managed to make several egregious blunders of fact, all of which together suggested wrongly that the state of Israel is.
Christianity and Judaism have basically the same ethical code, commonly known today as. Judaism does not believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Taking it a.
ING has delivered educational presentations on Muslims and their faith for twenty -five years. The following are answers to some of the most common questions. the Qur'an or hadith (prophetic sayings)—such as the six major beliefs or the five. How do the stories of the prophets in Islam compare with those in Christianity.
Where did Judaism originate from? What do Jews believe. Abraham is also important to followers of Christianity and of Islam. The story of Abraham. The two most common menorahs have seven and nine candle-holders. The term hanukiah.
Why Do Religions Have Different Gods But THE SAME Satan?! – Religion. there is a common presumption that all of these Satanic figures must indeed be the same being. Judaism In Hebrew, satan means.
Oct 12, 2013. Nizam, a member of the Islamic Center of Central Missouri, said that comfort for Muslims comes from a hope for an afterlife for those who have died. but how you're going to die, you can do that if you practice, you know, religious. For Christians, belief includes the promise of the afterlife. JUDAISM.
Deism: Common between Islam, Christianity and Judaism Epigraph. In other words Islam, Judaism and Christianity share the.
Jul 10, 2017. Judaism Christianity, and Islam, in opposition to Hinduism and. They are monotheist, they share a common belief in the oneness of God.
Jun 23, 2017. Both share common traditions, since Muhammad learned from Jews as well. I do commend those Muslims who call for a more tolerant. But if they're honest, they will have to admit that violent Islam has a long and rich history. This is unique among all belief systems, and it's what sets Christianity apart.
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are among the best known and most widely practiced religions today, and have had enormous cultural, ideological, and historical impact on the peoples of every continent. Arguably more so than any other ideological systems, Abrahamic religion has been among the most.
May 20, 2017. What does Islam have in common with Judaism and Christianity? A) All three religions worship the same god. B) All three religions perceive.
At first sight religion and geography have little in common with one another. Most. Here the key questions include "how do religious groups and new. global distribution of the major religions and belief systems. That chapter. Judaism and Christianity originated in Palestine, and Islam (partly based on both. Judaism and.
Paganism – What do pagans believe?. How does it compare to Christianity?. If the religion did not fit into the Judeo-Christian-Islamic or Eastern mould, Kabbalah: During the Middle Ages, this Jewish mystical and magical system developed. Paganism does not have one main religious text or set of beliefs to follow.
Western Monotheisms: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam The Western philosophy of theology and religion considers monotheism as the belief in the being of one god or in God's unity. Monotheism is considered as the belief in one transcendent and personal God (Dietrich, Wendell, Theodore, & Mark 4). A differentiation may be advanced between exclusive monotheism, and both pluriform monotheism.
Or at least, against Catholics. The real root of the anger is the Catholic claim to have superseded Judaism, in any form. But.
Water has a central place in the practices and beliefs of many religions for. Almost all Christian churches or sects have an initiation ritual involving the use of water. Except for within the Catholic Church, it is believed that baptism does not in. people could sprinkle themselves on entering a church, were in common use.
Waves of terrorist violence have flared up over the decades. The reason, I argue in The Moral Arc, is the Judaism and Christianity went through the. This is a common belief, and you usually go on to blame Jews are the CIA for this, but I.
Similarities Islam, Judaism and Christianity have a lot in common. They are all monotheistic and have divisions. Christianity has three main groups, Islam has two and Judaism has a few. Holy Books are mutual also. Christianity has the Bible, Islam has the Quran and Judaism has the Hebrew Torah. [tags: Judaism, Christianity, God, Islam]
Does God say that one religion will replace another? Does God intend that we would start with Judaism, then change to. God has been consistent.
Declaration on the Relation of the Church to non-christian religions – Nostra aetate. this declaration what men have in common and what draws them to fellowship. with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Jerusalem did not recognize the time of her visitation,(9) nor did the Jews in.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam share a common monotheistic belief in Abraham's God, who created life to be sacred and should.
5/26/2011 · The three monotheist religious traditions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have more in common than in contention. All three believe God is one, unique, concerned with humanity's condition. Each takes up the narrative of the others' — Christianity and Islam carrying forward the story begun in.
People who follow Judaism, Christianity and Islam all worship a common God. To the outsider giving a cursory glance, they do seem different – even dramatically so in their orientation and creeds.
Jan 5, 2018. Judaism is the world's oldest monotheistic religion, dating back nearly 4000 years. It includes the same books as the Old Testament in the Christian Bible, Throughout history, Jewish people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. Islam. Islam is the second largest religion in the world after.
Judaism and Christianity in themselves are distinctly separate entities, to be sure;. have to face another question: in what sense can these elements—Jewish,
Cardinal Choice Health Insurance Provider Phone Number Members can select from a wide range of deductible and coinsurance options to tailor a plan to fit their lifestyle needs and budget.NationsHealthInsurance.com offers Cardinal-Choice Limited Health insurance as an affordable alternative to the more expensive Marketplace limited medical health plans. For more information on medical benefits, call 1-800-250-5226 (Health Net of California) or visit
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Tommy Fleming 'can't wait' to get back on stage for his 2022 tour
Robert Sellar exhibition open
Wonderful evening of world music coming to Roe Valley Arts Centre
Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre will host a wonderful evening of fusion and world music with seven-piece band Basrok and special guests at 8pm on Friday December 3.
Thursday, 11th November 2021, 2:20 pm
Basrok's compositions are influenced by Irish, European, and Middle Eastern music and the performance will see brass, strings and woodwind combined into a unique melting pot of sound.
The band will be joined by supporting act Duozouk, made up of bouzouki players Nikos Petsakos and Martin Coyle, who explore the journey of the bouzouki from early 1900's Greece, across Europe and its entry into Ireland.
The duo will perform rebetiko music, alongside traditional arrangements from various European countries and modern compositions, presented on Greek Tri-chordo, Irish four course and Baglama.
Both acts are delighted to be joined on stage by harp performer Lucia McGinnis, who has been a long-term collaborator with Basork over the past five years. Lucia has been a performer and teacher for the past 20 years and has performed with The Chieftains and studied Irish music at the University of Limerick.
Tickets, priced £16, are on sale at the Box Office on 028 777 60650 or book online via Eventbrite.


text:
Q: terminal bash loses HOME path I upgraded Ubuntu to 21.04.
$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 21.04
Release:    21.04
Codename:   hirsute

Now when I open a terminal from the file explorer and open a new tab using Ctrl+shift+t I get the following message in the terminal:
To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.

After this, if I try to use "cd" I get the following error:
$ cd
bash: cd: HOME not set

Has anyone had similar problems or know why this is happening?
I have never had issues like this before.
Solution:
Bug in gnome-terminal 3.38.1, should be fixed in 3.38.2
See vanadium's answer.
Suggestions tried:

*

*$ env | grep HOME
Working tab:HOME=/home/vackraetraed
Failing tab:

*$ grep vackraetraed /etc/passwd
Working tab: vackraetraed:x:1000:1000:My name,,,:/home/vackraetraed:/bin/bash
Failing tab: vackraetraed:x:1000:1000:My name,,,:/home/vackraetraed:/bin/bash

*$ whoami
Working tab: vackraetraed
Failing tab: vackraetraed

*Copy system default files to user: $ cp -r /etc/skel/.bashrc ~ ; cp -r /etc/skel/.profile ~

*

*Issue persists

*Try the issue with a new temp user login

*

*No instructions on how to run as root when tab opens

*'cd' still does not work

A: You may be facing a bug: Env vars differ in first and second terminal of which this (in second tab, err happend when run cd: bash: cd: HOME not set) is a duplicate. It is a design issue with the systemd --user / d-bus activation environment. In Gnome Terminal 3.38.2, that issue should be "fixed" with a patch that copies over the environment of the first tab. Unfortunately, as of today (2021-09-08), gnome-terminal is still at 3.38.1.
For other users observing strange issues with terminal output, it may be due to a misconfiguration with the .profile or .bashrc configuration files. Take a look at them and correct them. Else you may want to revert to the system default files over to your user configuration. Copy the original files to a backup copy in case you want to revert to them:
cp ~/.bashrc ~/.bashrc_bak ; cp ~/.profile ~/.profile_bak

and then copy the system default files to your profile:
cp -r /etc/skel/.bashrc ~ ; cp -r /etc/skel/.profile ~

Log out then back in before testing if the issue is resolved.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: discord.py bot commandinvokeerror my discord bot stopped working around an hour ago and whenever i type a command it gives me an error bot still goes online and prints message on startup any help is appreciated
my code linked below in txt file
https://mega.nz/folder/w5IRHIDQ#YE5nH2sXw7mSaEELbnmxDw
the error im getting is linked
https://i.stack.imgur.com/kc0Yk.png

A: You are trying to load some json which is invalid, double check your json syntax with your ide or another Json Validator!


text:
Montreal Impact Team History
Impact Team Formation
On November 22, 2008, the group's bid for an MLS franchise was not retained by commissioner Don Garber. In response to Vancouver's successful bid in March 2009, Impact GM Nick De Santis commented that he expected chairman Saputo to pursue and realize his vision of Montreal as an MLS franchise someday. By May 16, 2009, the Montreal Gazette reported Garber and Saputo had resumed talks for an expansion team to begin to play in 2011.
On May 7, 2010, Garber and Saputo announced Montreal as the nineteenth club in Major League Soccer, set to begin to play for the 2012 season. The MLS franchise is privately owned by the Saputo family.
On June 14, 2011, the Montreal Impact announced a five-year agreement with the Bank of Montreal to become their lead sponsor and jersey sponsor in MLS.
On March 10, 2012, the Impact played their first MLS game, a 2–0 loss against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. A week later, the team made its home debut at the Olympic Stadium, playing to in a 1–1 draw with Chicago Fire; the match attracted 58,912 spectators, surpassing the previous record for professional soccer in Montreal established in a 1981 Montreal Manic home game against the Chicago Sting (58,542). On May 12, 2012, the Impact played in front of a crowd of 60,860 spectators during a game against the Los Angeles Galaxy, establishing a record attendance for a professional soccer match in Canada. In the 2012 regular season, Montreal had finished in seventh in the Eastern Conference with a record of 12 wins, 16 losses, and 6 ties.
Impact Primary Logo
Impact Alternate Logo
The Impact competes as a member of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The team began play in 2012 as an expansion team of the league, being the league's third Canadian club, and replaced the North American Soccer League team of the same name.
In 2015, the Impact became the second MLS club, and first Canadian club, to advance to the final of the CONCACAF Champions League, in its current name since 2008, where they finished runners-up in the two-game aggregate goal series against Club América. The Impact won the Canadian Championship in 2013, 2014 and 2019. The club plays its home games at Saputo Stadium and is coached by Thierry Henry.
2012 – Present / Major League Soccer
2012 – Present / Montreal Impact
Impact – In regards to keeping the name "Impact", Montreal stated its intention "to maintain its name and global team image." Name of a lower level team in Montreal that was kept upon getting a MLS team, to hold Montreal's Soccer identity.
MLS Cups 0
2012 – Present / Saputo Stadium
2010 – Present / Joey Saputo
Who is the greatest Montreal Impact?
Laurent Climan
Evan Bush
Add your greatest player
Retired Number
*Blue is this team's history
Dallas Burn
MetroStars
New York/New Jersey MetroStars
San Jose Clash
Kansas City Wiz
Miami Fusion FC


text:
The weather forecast for the Valencian Community
By Chris King • 23 February 2022 • 2:41
Image of a cloudy, stormy sky. image: Creative Commons 2.0
AEMET predicts the weather forecast for the Valencian Community will see rain towards the weekend, maybe even some storms
The weather forecast for the Valencian Community has confirmed that rainfall is definitely coming towards the weekend. AEMET, the State Meteorological Agency, predicts that this rain could even turn into storms. The recent high winds will reduce their intensity though.
This Wednesday should start with slightly cloudy skies, although the cloudiness will grow as the day progresses, from south to north, with intervals of medium and high clouds.
In the later hours of the day, low clouds will be registered, without ruling out mist on the north coast of the Community. Maximum temperatures will drop throughout the region, except in the southern third, where they will remain unchanged, while a slight decrease will be recorded in the minimums.
Thursday will see the start of instability in the weather, with clear or slightly cloudy skies during the early hours. Medium and high clouds will increase during the morning, leaving a cloudy sky as the day draws to its end.
The probability of rain during the evening increases significantly in points of the interior, being more probable in the interior of Valencia province.
Mists or low clouds will be recorded on the coast during the later hours of the day. Maximum temperatures will rise in the southern third.
Friday is expected to be a day of widespread rain. AEMET anticipates that the day will begin with cloudy or covered skies, with showers occasionally accompanied by storms.
The rain will begin to subside in the afternoon, except in the regional southern third, where it will fade out until towards the end of the day. Minimum temperatures will rise, and the maximum will fall, leaving a thermal amplitude of a few degrees, and registering the lowest values in the last hours of the day.
According to the forecast, specific frosts are expected to be recorded in the interior of the regional southern third of the community.
On Saturday there will still be cloudy or covered skies during the early hours. During the morning the sky will remain with intervals of clouds in the northern third, and completely clear skies for the afternoon in the provinces of Valencia and Castellon, as reported by lasprovincias.es.
Thank you for reading, and don't forget to check The Euro Weekly News for all your up-to-date local and international news stories, and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Yellow weather alert for Malaga province but temperatures will rise this week
Yellow alert for extreme cold temperatures extended for Andalucian provinces
Yellow alert issued for provinces of Andalucia with Sierra Nevada already recording -13.8ºC
Polar freeze in Spain brings temperatures of -15°C and snow in Ibiza
Frigid polar air mass will see temperatures in Spain plummet well below 0ºC
UK weather warning– flooding, snow temperatures as low as minus 10
Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at [email protected]


O|Bukett — Preview — Part of an album cover. Full case coming soon!
Meditative cubes — Detail of an animated poster. Full case coming soon!
Eh... O-K! — Loop animation. For the fun of it!
LOGO WIP — Logotype WIP. Top or bottom?


text:
New York Giants 2014 Positional Review: Quarterbacks
Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images
Follow @BigBlueInteract
Largely lost in the disappointing 6-10 season and the Odell Beckham hype was the fact that New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning experienced a renaissance in 2014. Approaching his mid-30's and coming off arguably his worst season in the NFL in 2013, Manning rebounded with one of his best seasons in 2014. Indeed, had it not been for a dreadful 5-interception game against the San Francisco 49ers in November, Manning would have thrown only eight picks all season – his lowest ever in the NFL. His success was even more impressive when you consider he was coming off April ankle surgery, had a new offensive coordinator and position coach, was introduced to a radically-different offensive system, and lost his security blanket Victor Cruz early in campaign. Before the season, many said Manning was washed up and the team should move on. By season's end, those thoughts had largely disappeared. Of all of the Giants' personnel problems, the quarterback position is not one of them.
It originally looked like Ryan Nassib was going to have an up-hill fight for the #2 quarterback spot as the Giants had re-signed 2013 #2 quarterback Curtis Painter and had added quarterbacks Josh Freeman and Rusty Smith in free agency. But Freeman and Smith didn't even make it to training camp, and Nassib clearly out-performed Painter in the preseason, completing 44-of-74 passes for 588 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions (107.3 quarterback rating). Nassib not only earned the promotion to the #2 spot, but the team was comfortable enough with him to cut Painter and only go with two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
Eli Manning rebounded from arguably his worst season in 2013 with one of his best seasons in 2014 under a new offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and West Coast Offense-based system. The latter required him to reprogram his footwork and become accustomed to new route depths run by his receivers. Despite a year-long learning curve, Manning finished the season with 4,410 yards (second-highest total in his career and in franchise history), 30 touchdowns (one shy of his career-high in 2011), and 14 interceptions (13 fewer than he threw in 2013). Manning's completion percentage (63.1) was a career-high. His passer rating of 92.1 was the second-highest of highest of his career (93.1 in 2009). And all of this despite the fact that Manning played behind a sub par offensive line that allowed 28 sacks and only generated 3.6 yards per carry (tied for 28th in the NFL). Manning was the first player selected in the 2004 NFL Draft and immediately traded to the Giants by the Chargers. The 34-year old Manning owns practically every quarterback record in franchise history. He is 8-3 as a playoff quarterback and a two-time Super Bowl MVP. His best season was 2011 when he carried the Giants to the playoffs, highlighted by seven come-from-behind victories on a team with a poor regular-season defense (27th in the NFL) and running game (32nd in the NFL).
Manning has excellent size and a strong arm. He is extremely tough and has never missed a game in 11 seasons. He only has a 59 percent career completion percentage though that figure should improve with the offensive emphasis shifting from a down-field, vertical attack to the West Coast system. Manning excels in the mental aspects of the game. He has the perfect temperament for playing in the New York metropolitan area as the intense media spotlight does not seem to faze him. He is very smart and hard-working. Manning reads opposing defenses extremely well. The coaching staff trusts him to make complicated pre-snap reads for both the running and passing games. On the negative side, Manning is still guilty of making the ill-advised, head-scratching throw when the smarter decision would be to throw the football away or take the sack. His gun-slinger mentality also causes him to make some risky throws in tight windows. A true pocket passer, Manning is not a threat to harm a defense with his feet. Manning was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2008 and 2011, and played in the game in 2012 as a second alternate. When Manning is on his game, he is one of the most clutch performers in the NFL.
Ryan Nassib – © USA TODAY Sports Images
Ryan Nassib was drafted in the 4th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Giants. He made the team as the #3 quarterback that year but was never active on game day and did not play. In 2014, Nassib played well in the preseason and became the #2 and only other quarterback behind Eli Manning. He saw limited time at the close of four games, completing 4-of-5 passing attempts for 60 yards in a blowout loss to the Eagles. Nassib has average height and mobility, but he is a mentally and physically tough, well-built quarterback with a good arm. He is very smart and played in two pro style offenses in college. At the college level Nassib was a team leader and clutch player who had a history of winning games late.
Articles, Roster Breakdown Tagged with: Eli Manning, Ryan Nassib
New York Giants 2014 Positional Review: Running Backs New York Giants 2014 Positional Review: Defensive Line


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Is he going to quit, too?
All I can tell you is, I've given him notice to quit.