Home to pygmy hunter-gatherers, hundreds of animal and bird species, and the strange okapi, or forest giraffe.
Located in the Congo River basin, the Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a refuge for nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters and many species of animals and birds. It's also home to about 5,000 of the estimated 30,000 okapi surviving in the wild.
The "Versailles of the Jungle" built by a dictator is now a decaying shadow of its hubristic grandeur.
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve was established in 1992 and listed as a World Heritage Site in 1996. Covering about 5,300 square miles of the Ituri forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the reserve helps to protect rare plant and animal life, as well as the traditional lifestyle and culture of nomadic pygmy hunter-gatherers.
The reserve takes its name from the okapi that live in its forests. These strange creatures are notable for the zebra-like markings on their legs, but are most closely related to giraffes, hence their other common names: forest giraffe, Congolese giraffe or zebra giraffe. Some 30,000 okapis survive in the wild today, of which about 5,000 live in the reserve.
In total, the reserve is home to 101 mammal species and 376 documented species of birds. These include 17 species of primates (with a population of around 7,500 chimpanzees), an estimated 7,500 forest elephants, and populations of dwarf antelopes, water chevrotains, forest buffalo, bongos (nocturnal forest antelopes) and giant forest hogs.
Along with the rangers who protect the park, the other guardians of these forests are the Mbuti and Efe hunters who roam the reserve. Both are pygmy peoples, with adult males typically reaching a height of at most 4 feet and 11 inches. They have lived in these forests for centuries, perhaps millennia, and continue to live as hunter-gatherers deep in the forest, maintaining their traditional lifestyles in harmony with their environment.
Other humans, however, are far less respectful of the reserve and its many natural resources. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve faces numerous threats, including the commercial hunting of bushmeat, slash-and-burn forest clearance for agriculture, and illegal mining and logging, all exacerbated as immigrants continue to move into the Ituri forest from the overpopulated highlands to the east.
As if that wasn't problematic enough, armed militias are also a threat to the reserve, its rangers, and all that live within it. Like Virunga National Park in the DRC, Okapi has suffered attacks by Mai-Mai rebels. In June 2012, a group formed of elephant poachers and illegal miners attacked the Epulu Conservation and Research Center, killing six people and 13 of the 14 okapis that lived at the center. In July 2017, a large group of journalists and park rangers were attacked by a group also thought to have been Mai Mai rebels. The foreign journalists escaped with several rangers, but four local wardens and a tracker were killed.
As with Virunga National Park, the situation remains tense and efforts are ongoing to maintain the relative stability of the reserve in the face of these man-made threats.
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is located in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, not far from the borders with South Sudan and Uganda. The nearest city to the reserve is Isiro, but tourists can arrange tours leaving from Beni or Kisangani, both of which require at least a full day journey, and longer in the wet season. But before you even consider a visit to the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, contact the Okapi Conservation Project for an update on the current security situation.
Nestled in Uganda's Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve, is a one-of-a-kind safari lodge.
One of the most detailed and historically accurate collections of Ugandan artifacts depicting Bahima tribal history, culture, and daily life.


Application of techniques in the field of medicine has been an area of intense research in recent years. Diabetic Retinopathy and Glaucoma are two retinal diseases that are a major cause of blindness. Regular Screening for disease detection has been a highly labor – and resource- intensive task. Hence automatic detection of these diseases through techniques would be a great remedy. A novel computational approach for automatic disease detection is proposed that utilizes retinal image analysis and data mining techniques to accurately categorize the retinal images as Normal, Diabetic Retinopathy and Glaucoma caused. Three feature apposite and sixteen classification Algorithms were analyzed and used to identify the contributing features that gave better establish results. Our results prove that C4.5 and random tree classification techniques generate the maximum multi-class categorization training precision of 100% in classifying 45 images from the Gold Standard Database. Moreover the Fisher's Ratio algorithm expose the most minimal and perfect set of portentous features on the retinal image data.


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ROUGH TRANSLATION. Language Arts between Exclusion and Solidarity
Contact: Monika Rinck
ROUGH TRANSLATION
Language Arts between Exclusion and Solidarity
The Intra-Project Rough Translation is a joint project by the Institutes of Language Arts and Transcultural Studies: Nanna Heidenreich, Viktoria Metschl, Monika Rinck, Gerhild Steinbuch.
This joint project by the Institutes of Language Arts and Transcultural Studies will explore the problematic issue of translation in relation to language as an artistic material and as a means of cognition in different academic and artistic discourses. At the same time, participative and performative settings will provide opportunities to experience the specific cognitive dimension of translation as an exercise in cheerful difference and as a path towards an ethics of listening, of unlearning, and of semantic smuggling.
The project is anchored at the Institute of Language Arts and at the Institute of Transcultural Studies. To do justice to our understanding of translation as something unfinished, a quality that allows it to make a political impact, we wish to develop a collective artistic and academic practice, also between teaching staff and students. An initial conference in April 2023 will feature contributions both from external scholars and artists and from students.
The main objective of this long-term project is to arrive at a shared practice that goes beyond the dream of complete, transparent translation to explore the fraught spaces between languages and speakers, and between language and its embodiment in space – artistically, politically, theoretically, performatively, incompletely, inventively.
Translated into English by Nicholas Grindell
The entry in question from Concise Oxford English Dictionary
The entry in question from Concise Oxford English Dictionary escapes.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Great Math Learning
The best way to predict success
During her career as a teacher, Angela Lee Duckworth realised that IQ was not the only thing separating successful students from the ones struggling. In this TED talk, she speaks about her theory of "grit" as a predictor of success.
Angela Lee Duckworth is an American academic, psychologist and author. At the University of Pennsylvania, she currently does a lot of research on intangible concepts like grit and self-control. She believes that it is very important to stick with a long term plan for the future and also knows that this is incredibly difficult most of the time. However, her studies show that, individuals who are more gritty about becoming successful, end up having it all.
Angela believes that the Growth Mindset also plays a big role in being gritty. When a child believes that they can get better at something by working on it, they are building in them the habit of being gritty.
Well said. Nice post.


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White House puts pressure on Congress to pass bipartisan government funding bills
By Aris Folley - 11/12/21 11:02 AM EST
The White House is putting some heat on Congress to strike a deal on the annual government funding bills as negotiations across the aisle have failed to make much headway in recent months.
The Office of Budget and Management (OMB) said in a fact sheet sent out on Friday that Congress must "reach a bipartisan, bicameral agreement" on full-year appropriations bills for fiscal 2022 in the weeks ahead.
The bills, the office said, will be crucial in addressing the nation's "critical needs," including funding to "improve readiness for future public health crises," bolster defense readiness and modernization, provide "overdue investments in election infrastructure," support kids in high-poverty schools and "ensure access to student loans and student aid."
While the office acknowledged annual appropriations bills brought forth by Democrats in the House and Senate to fund the government for the coming year, it said it "looks forward to seeing a proposal from House and Senate Republicans" to continue bipartisan negotiations.
As government funding for fiscal 2021 was set to lapse at the end of September, Congress passed a stopgap bill in the eleventh hour to keep the government funded at the previous year's spending levels to buy time for negotiations.
The legislation allows the government to remain funded through early December. Congress is expected to pass another continuing resolution (CR) in the next few weeks to avoid a shutdown amid a stalemate between Republicans and Democrats over spending.
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Richard Shelby Richard Craig ShelbyNegotiators report progress toward 2022 spending deal Johnson, Thune signal GOP's rising confidence Alabama GOP gears up for fierce Senate primary clash MORE (R-Ala.) said last week that a CR will likely be needed for December while decrying so-called poison pills in Democratic spending proposals.
"If there's no progress then we could be headed for a yearly CR. A lot of people would like that," he told reporters then.
But Sen. Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph LeahyFormer US attorney considering Senate run in Vermont as Republican The Hill's 12:30 Report: Sen. Kaine, drivers stranded in I-95 backup Senate delays vote as DC hit by snowstorm MORE (D-Vt.), who heads the Appropriations Committee, said at the time that resorting to multiple continuing resolutions "is not a responsible way to govern."
"Republicans seem to want to drive us into a full year continuing resolution," he said. "Democrats made a good faith offer last month that provided a 5 percent increase in defense spending, which is consistent with the bipartisan NDAA [National Defense Authorization Act], but it takes two to negotiate."
"We still have not received a topline offer in response to ours," Leahy said.
The OMB also cautioned against a full-year CR in its release on Friday.
"Reaching an agreement on appropriations, and avoiding the continuation of 2021 funding levels under a full-year continuing resolution (CR), is critical for priorities," the office said.
"Congress has a long history of reaching bipartisan appropriations agreements that benefit the American people and fund critical public health services. Over the coming weeks, lawmakers have an opportunity and obligation to do so again," the office added.
Tags Richard Shelby Patrick Leahy appropriations bills
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Terrific Opportunity in Hamilton Proper boast this 4 Bedroom finished basement Custom Home W/over 4500 Sq Ft. Features include; beautiful hardwood flrs, thru-out Foyer, Den/Library, Dining Rm, Kit. & breakfast nook. Kitchen w/ S.S. Appliances, Granite Counter Tops, Nook area, Pantry all open to the Great rm w/full masonry fireplace, built-in bookshelves, incredible mud Room, & powder bath. 2nd floor features Updated Master Suite w/ Stand-alone Tub, Glass Shower, skylight, huge walk-in closet, Bonus Rm & Upstairs Laundry rm. full. 3 beds & Updated hall bath w/tile shower, dual sinks & granite top. Finished basement w/TV area, Rec/play rm, Exercise/storage rm, Plus Full Bath, bar rough-in. Patio W/Decorative Brick Wall, outdoor speakers.
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Creating a memory
There's nothing quite like watching a chef spread his creative wings and soar.
Steve Marques (formerly of Burger Guys and Yelapa, now executive chef for Tasting Room Uptown) treated some friends and myself to a special dinner. It explored some ideas we had discussed earlier, and a few cultural challenges. And I learned that Steve salivates over the idea of a culinary challenge. With gusto.
Our meal progressed much like a cooking show judging session, with Steve explaining what each course was to be, and began with a sashimi of tilefish, dressed with salt, serrano chile, and heated olive oil. A simple start. Auspicious.
Gumbo. In this case, oyster and mushroom gumbo, incorporating three kinds of mushrooms (including the meaty maitake), and served with an expertly prepared potato salad. Yes, potato salad, not rice. Turns out, this is actually more traditional, and works beautifully. The creamy tang of mayo, the sweet snap of pickles, and the dusky heat of the gumbo combine in a very satisfying manner. I have to add that the textural range of this dish was very much on point, from the lovingly caramelized roux, to the contrast of the mushrooms, to the barely cooked oysters and then the al dente potatoes - this was a knockout.
"Kare-Kare" Or, rather, an interpretation of it. Kare-kare is a Filipino dish of stewing meat (nowadays mostly oxtail, but any number of parts can be used what benefit from a long braise) cooked in annatto, ground peanuts, and toasted ground glutinous rice, and served with steamed vegetables and bagoong (fermented fish or shrimp paste). Steve's version braises high quality beef short ribs for 22 hours, in a jus containing the annatto, peanuts and glutinous rice, served alongside a packet of short grain rice steamed in a lotus leaf. That package (an homage to the Chinese zongzi) contained bits of tripe and vegetables and more toasted peanuts.
The Cheese Course. Two quenelles of house made ricotta, spiked generously with lemon peel, and covered with two different kinds of honey, accompanied with glasses of port wine. The one in the foreground is rosemary honey, the other is chestnut honey, each displaying remarkable differences in flavors, but both complementing the creamy ricotta admirably. I loved the herbal notes in the rosemary honey, but there are others who preferred the more robust chestnut honey by a little bit more. Just a little.
The Best Chocolate Ice Cream in the World. Steve credits learning to make this ice cream to Fergus Henderson and reveals that one secret is the use of duck egg yolks. But there's so much going on with this ice cream - a dark chocolate profile that lingers on the tongue, accompanied by the tang of dried cherries, and crunch of pistachios. And the herbal complement of the fresh thyme. Strangely, I think a touch of fleur de sel would just finished it nicely, but that's splitting hairs.
All told, an incredible edible milieu. Returning briefly to the "kare-kare" course - Steve asked me if he successfully captured the memory of kare-kare, having never had it himself. The tender short rib carried flavors and textures that were reminiscent of kare-kare - but it didn't capture the memory. That's not a complaint, though - it's inherently a significant challenge to recreating and reinterpreting a cultural memory from the just having it described. One can be inspired and create something delicious - as this was - but it isn't the same thing. And for many, once you attempt to evoke that memory, matching that archetype becomes the goal. Experiencing the different dishes and cultures are part of the maturation of a chef, and as close as Steve got to the real thing speaks volumes about his repertoire.
Though not quite kare-kare, this dish, in and of itself, is good. Instead of capturing a memory, it is creating a new one - one that a group has chosen to remember and describe for others.
Disclaimer: Dinner was provided gratis. Many thanks to the chef and to The Tasting Room Uptown for a wonderful dinner and experience.
Labels: commentary, dinner, Filipino food, gumbo, kare-kare, party
This dinner was SUPERB! Thanks, Chef, for taking us on a true culinary adventure!
Indirect Heat January 28, 2012 at 7:41 PM
Holy moley. That's one fine looking dinner.
Raw Uchi
Big fruit
Playing the ice
Frozen Science


Researchers have revealed a newly discovered fault line running parallel to the San Andreas fault in Southern California.
The new Salton Trough Fault, which runs parallel to the San Andreas Fault, could impact current seismic hazard models in the earthquake-prone region that includes the greater Los Angeles area, seismologists say.
The newly identified strike-slip fault within the Salton Sea, just west of the San Andreas Fault, is in an area where a swarm of nearly 200 small earthquakes hit last week, raising concerns they might trigger a larger earthquake on the southern San Andreas Fault.
The new Salton Trough Fault, which runs parallel to the San Andreas Fault, could impact the earthquake-prone region that includes the greater LA area, seismologists say. It is in an area where a swarm of nearly 200 small earthquakes hit last week, raising concerns they might trigger a larger earthquake on the southern San Andreas Fault.
WHAT IS THE 'BIG ONE'?
Such a quake is expected to produce devastation to human civilization within about 50-100 miles of the quake zone, especially in urban areas like Palm Springs, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Contingency plans have a wost case of upward of 14,000 people dead in the worst-case scenarios, 30,000 injured, thousands left homeless and the region's economy setback for years, if not decades.
'To aid in accurately assessing seismic hazard and reducing risk in a tectonically active region, it is crucial to correctly identify and locate faults before earthquakes happen,' said Valerie Sahakian, a Scripps alumna, and lead author of the study.
The research team used a suite of instruments, including multi-channel seismic data, ocean-bottom seismometers, and light detection and ranging, or lidar, to precisely map the deformation within the various sediment layers in and around the sea's bottom.
They imaged the newly identified strike-slip fault within the Salton Sea, just west of the San Andreas Fault.
'The location of the fault in the eastern Salton Sea has made imaging it difficult and there is no associated small seismic events, which is why the fault was not detected earlier,' said Scripps geologist Neal Driscoll, the lead principal investigator of the NSF-funded project, and coauthor of the study.
Mapping of earthquake faults provides important information for earthquake rupture and ground-shaking models, which helps protect lives and reduce property loss from these natural hazards.
Recent studies have revealed that the region has experienced magnitude-7 earthquakes roughly every 175 to 200 years for the last thousand years.
A major rupture on the southern portion of the San Andreas Fault has not occurred in the last 300 years.
'The extended nature of time since the most recent earthquake on the Southern San Andreas has been puzzling to the earth sciences community,' said Nevada State Seismologist Graham Kent, a coauthor of the study and former Scripps researcher.
'We need further studies to better determine the location and character of this fault, as well as the hazard posed by this structure,' said Sahakian, currently a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Science Center.
A series of more than 35 temblors struck a rural area of Southern California near the U.S.-Mexico border last week in what seismologists call a 'swarm' of quakes.
The swarm dramatically increases the likelihood of a much more major quake in Southern California, at least temporarily, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
California is on high alert after a series of over 35 'mini quakes' this week raised fears of a 'megaquake' on the San Andreas fault could be coming.
For the seven-day period following Tuesday, the chances of a magnitude-7 or greater earthquake being triggered on the southern San Andreas fault are as high as 1 in 100 and as low as 1 in 3,000.
'This is close enough to be in that worry zone,' seismologist Lucy Jones told the LA Times of the location of the earthquake swarm.
The largest earthquake recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey was magnitude 4.3 at 7:31 a.m. and was centered 35 miles (58 kilometers) northwest of El Centro.
According to the Southern California Seismic Network, more than 35 small earthquakes were recorded Monday in the area over a short period.
It marked only the third time since earthquake sensors were installed there in 1932 that the area had seen such a swarm, and this one had more earthquakes than the events of 2001 and 2009.
An image provided by Caltech seismologist Egill Hauksson shows the earthquake swarms of 2001, 2009 and 2016 in the Salton Sea. According to the Southern California Seismic Network, more than 35 small earthquakes were recorded Monday in the area over a short period.
The region of large farms in the desert near the Salton Sea is known for extensive seismicity.
'When there's significant seismicity in this area of the fault, we kind of wonder if it is somehow going to go active,' said Caltech seismologist Egill Hauksson told the LA Times.
An earthquake scientist has added to claims the dreaded event is overdue, warning the San Andreas fault is 'locked, loaded and ready to roll'.
The fault is the longest in California and one of the state's most dangerous.
A view of the San Andreas fault in the Carrizo Plain. A series of more than 35 temblors struck a rural area of Southern California near the U.S.-Mexico border in what seismologists call a 'swarm' of quakes.
Thomas Jordan, director of the Southern California Earthquake Centre, said the fault has been 'too quiet' since 1857.
This is when the last big quake to strike a southern section rippled from Monterey County to the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles with a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale.
Beyond the sunshine, the palm trees and Hollywood, if there is one certainty in California, it's that a massive earthquake will strike at some point.
A major earthquake on the San Andreas, one of California's most dangerous faults, would cut most lifelines in and out of southern California, preventing critical aid from reaching some 20 million people and hampering recovery efforts, experts say.
It is commonly referred to as the 'Big One' a hypothetical earthquake of magnitude 8 or greater that is expected to happen along the San Andreas fault.
He also said other sections of the 810 mile-long (1,304km) fault are overdue for a quake too, the Los Angeles Times reported.
In San Bernardino County, the fault hasn't moved much since an earthquake in 1812, with a southeast section near Salton Sea has been quiet since around 1690.
While scientists say the Pacific plate moving northwest of the North American plate should move 16ft (4.8 metres) every 100 years to relieve stress, this hasn't happened at San Andreas so stress has been building at points along the fault for more than a century.
He said it is important the state prepares to be rocked by a quake as strong as 8 on the Richter scale and praised Los Angles' plans to reinforce older concrete buildings and the city's aqueduct and telecommunications networks.
While the fault doesn't run under the city, a mega quake is expected to rock it, according to simulations.
A report by the US Geological Survey in 2008 warned a magnitude 7.8 earthquake could result in 1,800 deaths, 50,000 injuries and $200 billion (£138 billion) of damage.
Such devastation could be brought about by a strong quake in just two minutes, striking in the Coachella Valley, for example, which could also shake areas where sediments trap waves, such as east Los Angeles.
The damage caused by a similar strength quake was last seen in 1857, when an earthquake originating in Parkfield in Monterey County travelled south along the fault for 185 miles (300km), and then east from LA.
It was so powerful, lasting between one and three minutes, that it liquefied soil, as well as destroying buildings.
Experts at the Southern California Earthquake Centre used a supercomputer in 2010 to simulate a magnitude 8 quake also starting in Monterey County.
It matched reports of devastation more than a century ago, heading to the Mexican border.
It predicted such a large quake would hit LA and the San Fernando Valley hard because of soft soil in these valleys trapping waves.
In March, a geophysicist warned the long-overdue earthquake set to hit southern California could be far worse than expected.
Julian Lozos, an assistant geophysics professor at California State University, claimed there is a strong chance this quake will coincide with one along the adjacent San Jacinto fault line, which runs through more heavily-populated cities.
If true, it would mean authorities have dramatically underestimated how many people will be affected by the natural disaster.
Evidence uncovered by the expert suggests the terrifying scenario occurred in 1812, devastating the region between San Diego and San Buenvaventura.
If that happened once, Dr Lozos said, there is a strong chance it can happen again.
'Looking at old earthquakes in general is really a good way to figure out what faults are capable of doing,' Dr Lozos wrote in his paper published on Saturday in the journal Science Advances.
Previously, geologists thought a quake shook San Jacinto shortly before the devastating San Andreas quake on 8 December, 1812.
However, Dr Lozos concluded the rupture along the San Jacinto fault line was in fact the starting point.
He analysed historical data on the 1812 San Andreas rupture, testing four different scenarios of where it could have started.
He believes it started in Mystic Lake, ripping north up the San Jacinto fault line until it jumped up into the dry creek that runs parallel.
Though the findings cannot be proved definitively, it presents a new element for scientists to acknowledge as they attempt to advise the West Coast on how to brace for the quake.
Indeed, University of California professor Lisa Grant Ludwig said the region is not prepared for such a situation.
'In southern California, much of our infrastructure was built to withstand a rupture of either the San Andreas or San Jacinto faults, but not both at the same time,' she explained.


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Home > Low-code | No-code
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STEVENS' ROLE AS PANEL CHAIR SUGGESTS NEW FOCUS FOR CLIMATE DEBATE
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens' (R) likely ascension to chairman of the commerce committee could change the focus of the Senate's debate on climate change -- with Stevens focusing more on mitigating climate impacts in Alaska and elsewhere and less on outgoing chairman Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) bill regulating greenhouse gas emissions, Senate sources say.
ANALYSIS SHOWS COAL PLANTS PROFITABLE DESPITE ENVIRONMENTAL RULES
A new analysis by an international consulting firm finds that future environmental requirements -- including many possible policies for curbing greenhouse gases -- are unlikely to erode the competitiveness of most coal-fired power plants and could even make many facilities more competitive as they install pollution controls.
STATE GROUP EYES NEXT MOVE AFTER AVIATION EMISSIONS TALKS COLLAPSE
State and local air pollution regulators are examining their legal and regulatory options for reducing emissions from airports over the next several years after the collapse of long-running talks facilitated by EPA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aimed at developing emissions reduction strategies for the aviation sector, according to an association representing the state and local officials.
EPA ARGUES COURT LACKS JURISDICTION IN ONGOING MERCURY LAWSUIT
EPA claims a lawsuit calling for the agency to implement strict mercury rules for power plants must be dismissed because the court hearing the case does not have jurisdiction to decide it.
EPA's Nov. 18 response to the court is the latest development in a lawsuit brought by the National Wildlife Federation, the Izaak Walton League of America and the Natural Resources Council of Maine alleging that EPA exceeded statutory deadlines for issuing stringent power plant mercury regulations.
NORTH CAROLINA LIKELY TO SUE TVA AS ACTIVIST CASE MOVES AHEAD
North Carolina's attorney general is planning to sue the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for alleged violations of EPA's new source review (NSR) regulations, in a move that could add weight to an already-pending lawsuit that citizens groups filed against the utility.
At the same time, North Carolina is threatening to sue EPA for failing to respond to its petition filed under the Clean Air Act to control upwind pollution.
ENVIRONMENTALISTS EYE MANDATORY INSURANCE PLAN TO REDUCE EMISSIONS
Activists believe a pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) automobile insurance proposal, included in a new book of policy offerings on reducing air pollution aimed at President Bush, is a good idea but would have to be mandatory to have any real impact.
PAYD would set up a method of calculating insurance costs for drivers based on the amount of time they spend behind the wheel. Activists believe PAYD can help states reduce their mobile source emissions without having to implement new laws or change their state implementation plans (SIPs).
NAVAJO NATION BECOMES FIRST TRIBE TO WIN FEDERAL PERMIT AUTHORITY
EPA is granting the Navajo Nation authority to administer the federal clean air operating permits program known as Title V, making it the first Indian nation to control permits for major pollution sources on their lands.
The Nov. 18 decision is likely to prompt other tribes to seek similar authority to take charge of their own Title V programs rather than have EPA run them, according to one Navajo source.
"This is a very significant decision. Now that we have this authority, we will be able to monitor [pollution sources] more closely," the Navajo source says.
DEREGULATED POWER MARKETS MAKE EMISSION CUTS DIFFICULT, INDUSTRY SAYS
Some electric power companies are calling on Northeast environment officials to weigh in on future proposals that could make it easier for them to fund environmental improvements in deregulated electricity markets. The companies say that in states where the markets are still tightly regulated, it is relatively easy to pass the costs of environmental compliance on to consumers. But they argue that prospect becomes much more difficult in the growing number of deregulated markets.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELERS EYE NEW 'ETHICS' POLICY TO ENSURE RELIABILITY
Environmental modeling experts inside and outside of government may join with policymakers to form a professional association and adopt a code of modeling ethics, in an effort to provide greater assurances about the ability of models to predict realistic outcomes. The move comes amid concerns that some modeling forecasts sacrifice accuracy to reflect outcomes that would benefit their sponsors.
EPA REPORT MAY BE EVIDENCE IN FUTURE LAWSUITS CHALLENGING WEAK RULES
EPA admitted in its new annual report that it is failing to achieve several goals to reduce ambient concentrations of key air pollutants, an admission that will likely be used in future lawsuits to show that EPA's air rules are not strict enough, according to environmentalists.
Groups Weigh In On CSB's Accidental Chemical Release Reporting Rule
House Approves Bill Addressing PFAS
Science Advisors Slam Key EPA Deregulatory Plans
EPA Unveils IRIS Program's 2020 Agenda
EPA Unveils Long-Awaited PFAS Groundwater Guidance


unprecedented mobility of rural-urban migration.
of Nigeria (FGN) decided to rejuvenate cocoa industry with emphasis on increased production among other things. As a result, some interventions were introduced into cocoa industry with the aim of meeting the needs of the expanding industrial sector, increasing foreign exchange, enhancing job creation and farmers" income (FGN, 2006).
effects on the international aggregate output and price level. Cocoa production in Nigeria is done in the South West of the country especially in Ondo state and some are seen in the South -South zone especially in Akwa-Ibom state.
exchange earnings while cocoa, a versatile, renewable and sustainable source of revenue is yet to reclaim its lost glory.The country is losing the foreign exchange that could be derived from exported cocoa going by the present US$2, 581.6 per tonne of the commodity. This shows that foreign exchange earning potential of cocoa has not been optimally actualized in Nigeria.
difficulties in setting up of new cocoa farms and rehabilitation of old ones.


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Punk Goes OFF! An Interview with Keith Morris
Posted: October 24, 2011 by Esteban in Interview
Keith Morris and the steady shakes, trying to prove to me that he is sober.
When conjuring up the names of punk rock legends there are but a handful of individuals who simply cannot be overlooked like the standout fashions and hairstyles they've conjured up over the years. Individuals who have been timelessly imitated by their contemporaries while leaving their mark on rock and roll history, genuinely, ironically, or post-ironically. Musicians like Sid Vicious, Darby Crash, and of course former Blackflag and Circle Jerk frontman, Keith Morris, a living legend. In an exclusive interview at FYF, Keith sits down with em and discusses musical endeavors past, present, and future.
Hey, Keith, good to see you again. How have you been preparing for FYF?
As a curator for FYF, my choice [for bands to play FYF] was Guided by Voices. We've been trying to get them to play here for years.
FYF references you for bands you'd like to play at FYF?
Well, I've been a part of it [FYF] for six or seven years.
Keith, since you started OFF! has everything gone the way you had planned?
Well, originally we were working on a Circle Jerks album. Dimitri and I had a conversation about how the other guys in the band would find a way to fuck all of this up. To fuck up the free lunch. In the process, Dimitri said, "You need to make a list of people you would want in a band if you were to start band tomorrow." The first people that we put on the list are in the band!
Does Mario still live in Cadriff by the Sea?
He is in a place called Vista, which is kinda like Animal House. I've never been there, so I wouldn't know.
Are you still in Hermosa, Keith?
No, I live right up the street in Los Feliz. I can't go back to Hermosa, it's horrible.
Because of all of the inflexive yuppies.
Yeah, I heard they were trying to crack down on noise and shit like that because of the WASPs and yuppies in the area.
They really ruined the vibe.
Whatever happened to the Church in Hermosa?
The Church was demolished. It was a parking lot for a few minutes, then they turned it into this microbrew.
Tell me about your live album. Why did you decide to record it for Record Day?
We had gone to New York and play some shows during the… crap I forget what it is called, but one of the shows was in the basement of a record store. Basically the guys in the band thought it was good enough to put into a record.
Fucking wicked. On vinyl?
It only came out on vinyl.
Nice. What I love most about OFF! is that the sound you guys produce is so raw, it almost sounds like you guys are making the songs up on the spot. Why do you think everything is so natural for OFF!?
There is another part of that, and that is being in the other bands that we've all been in. Like the Warped Tour, there is a certain vibe that says you've got to sound like this, like radio friendly, and all of a sudden you've got all of these bands where all of the rough edges…
Are we talking about dark party type stuff or pop punk type stuff?
We are talking about a certain mentality where it's like, "We've got to get played on the radio! And we're not going to get played on the radio unless our drums sound like this and we sound like this!"
That you've got to fit inside certain parameters.
Yeah! It's like, "Let's record it, then we'll pay to have someone mix it to it's friendly." There is no spirit, there is no fire, there is no umph! It all sounds the same.
That's what is great about the OFF! sound, is that it is raw and dirty and a throwback to that Blackflag style.
Early on, yes, but later on, there was a mentality where we had to fit inside a category. A perfect example is I went to a Green Day show…
Motherfucking Green Day.
-At the Hollywood Palladium. The two bands playing with them were the Muffs and the Queers. They were fantastic! Even Green Day was fantastic! That was early on when they were in their ascension. What bummed me out is that all of the music they played in between bands was all very horizontal. It all sounded the same. It all had the same quality, "be nice". But we're puck rock! "But be nice." I don't want to be horizontal, I want to be vertical. I don't want to be black and white. I want to have some red and green and yellow.
Exactly. Hey, what the fuck happened to the unfinished Circle Jerks Album?
We don't really talk about them anymore. They can go off and play with whoever they want to play with. We started to work on the album and all of a sudden, one of the guys was like, "It sounds too much like garage rock." Then I get a call at 10:30 at night, "We don't want to work with Dimitri. Dimitri is not going to be our producer. We know you are going to quit the band because out our decision." And you know what, they were right. A half hour later I settled back in a collected my thoughts and figured, you know what? I started this band, I don't need to walk away from this band, I don't need to quit this band, I'm going to go OFF and do what I want to do!
Thus begun OFF!
Fuck yeah.
I loved the First Four EPs. You have a new song coming out called Compared to what and Rotten Apple.
"Compared to what" and "Rotten Apple" are singles we released. We were originally going to go on tour with Trash Talk. We were going to do a split 7" with one side "Compared to What" and on the other side was their version of a Bobby Blue Band cover they recorded, but for some reason they said they didn't want to do it. We didn't bother to get into any specifics. If they didn't want to do it that is totally cool, so we released the 7" with "Compared to what" on one side and "Rotten Apple" on the other side. Our album is the First Four EPs, which was released as a box set and CD, never a 12". We were hoping it would be released as a 12" but that never happened. That's up to the recorded label. We can only moan and bitch and complain for so long.
When are you guys recoding new shit next?
We need to just get in a studio and bash out more songs.
Yeah. Because the OFF! sound is so natural, I image it is no problem for you guys to crank out more tunes.
Well, one of the things about the recoding is that it sounds the same way it sounded the first time we got together and were bash9ing away at these songs.
What bands are you looking forward to seeing perform at FYF?
We would talk about Guided by Voices, No Age, of course the Descendents. Billy and I go all the way back to the Church in Hermosa. And Milo who also went to our High School.
What have you been listening to lately?
My favorite stuff that I've been listening to lately are Dearhunter, Crocodiles, Status Quo live…
All great up and coming bands. That's all the time we have. Thanks for chatting with me, Keith. Keep it Ultra Vulgar.
FYF, by the way, is not just a one day concert event. They actually sponsor dope shows all year round all across LA and beyond, like their Downtown Scavenger Hunt this November 19th. Check out our FYF review w/ photos for more info.
They Eat People
How To Smuggle Drugs From Mexico


Diamond Pistons has announced two new pistons—flat tops and dished—for Chevy L92 / LS3 engines (Camaro). Suitable for use in virtually every segment of the aftermarket, including restoration, street-strip, pro-touring, and off-road, these new 2618 conventional forgings are supplied with alloy steel 8620 piston pins and spiral locks as well as a standard ring package, comprising 1.5mm (top); 1.5mm (second) and 3.0mm (oil control).
Configured for bore dimensions of 4.005 to 4.130in and stroke lengths of 3.622 and 4.000in., these new pistons have compression heights of either 1.304in or 1.115in. Because their top rings are positioned 0.260in down from the piston crown, these pistons will work well with small nitrous kits or super/turbochargers. On the piston crowns both the flat tops and the dished versions are furnished with valve relief pockets of 0.175in (intake) and 0.105in (exhaust). Double pin oilers with interlinking grooves ensure adequate lubrication between the piston pins and their pin bores.
Lastly, Diamond makes available these new pistons in either an uncoated condition or with the Diamond Double Coat—fully anodized with a molybdenum skirt coating.


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Ronald Reagan CSG exercises with Republic of Singapore Navy
From MC3 Askia Collins, CTF 70
The carrier strike group and a pair of RSN ships conducted drills in the South China Sea.
SOUTH CHINA SEA - Ships and aircraft from the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG 5) and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) conducted integrated bilateral training, June 17.
CSG 5 sailed in international waters with RSN's Formidable-class frigate RSS Intrepid (69) and the Victory-class corvette RSS Vigilance (90). While training together, the strike group and the RSN ships conducted maritime security drills, flag hoist and communication drills as well as formation sailing, and a publication exercise (PUB-EX), during which the watchstanders of each ship quizzed each other on tactical and technical literature.
"Any opportunity to train and exercise with our Singaporean partners, especially in the South China Sea, is essential in demonstrating our commitment to freedom of navigation and peace in the region," said Capt. Fred Goldhammer, commanding officer of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). "As America's flagship, Ronald Reagan maintains a forward presence here, or anywhere else where our mission may take us. Our crew always remains focused, flexible and ready."
The strike group is committed to upholding U.S. security agreements with regional allies and partners, demonstrating the capability of forward-deployed naval forces to quickly respond across the region.
"We are always pleased with the opportunity to operate with and improve our cohesiveness with our partners, and this was no exception," said Capt. Sharif Calfee, USS Shiloh commanding officer. "The Shiloh Hornets were proud to exhibit our shared commitment to maritime security and freedom of the seas with the RSN."
This exercise accomplished the mission of strengthening the U.S. Navy's bilateral relationship and cooperation with RSN by demonstrating the ability to integrate and coordinate maritime operations.
The U.S. and Republic of Singapore navies work together on a number of initiatives at sea such as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise (AUMX), Exercise Pacific Griffin, Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT), and Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), as well as combined operations such as multi-national counter-piracy.
The strike group consists of the Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), the embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, the embarked staffs of Task Force 70 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97).
CSG 5, is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, the Navy's largest forward-deployed fleet. The U.S. Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific for more than 70 years, through 7th Fleet, helping allies and partners from 35 other maritime-nations by providing credible, ready forces to develop interoperability that fosters maritime security, promotes stability, and prevents conflict all in order to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.


Your imagination will be hard pressed to describe the landscape of La Gomera and the spectacular ocean views from the Parador, with the island of Tenerife and Mount Tiede on the horizon. Built in the island architectural style, the hotel is decorated as if it were a keepsake of the age of Columbus, when ships departed the island bound for the Americas. The Parador de la Gomera offers comfortable guest rooms, a swimming pool and a lush garden with subtropical plants. It will be your little paradise.
San Sebastián, the island's capital and port of entry, was Columbus's last port of call on his voyage to discover America. This small island boasts two treasures which have been declared part of our World Heritage: Garajonay National Park and Silbo Gomero, a whistling language used to communicate across the ravines.
Hiking in Garajonay National Park will take you back in time, where you will discover species that disappeared from other parts of the planet millions of years ago. This lovely place is the site of an equally beautiful legend, to which it owes its name. Two lovers, Gomera princess Gara and Jonay of Tenerife, on realizing that their love was impossible, chose to drive a spear through their bodies and throw themselves off the highest peak on the island.
From its spectacular location above the town of San Sebastián de la Gomera, the Parador is an oasis of peace in the middle of the Atlantic, the perfect spot to enjoy the beach, natural surroundings and garden, where you can sit in the sun and breathe in the peace and tranquility.
The island can be reached by boat from Port Los Cristianos on Tenerife or by plane from Tenerife and Gran Canaria.


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A TAXI DRIVER Review
Director: Hun Jang
MPAA Rating: NR
Set during the bloody Gwangju Uprising in South Korea in the Spring of 1980, Hun Jang's A Taxi Driver delivers a powerful and heartbreaking, yet inspirational, true story framed within a Summer blockbuster.
Song Kang-ho gives an award-worthy performance as Man-seob, a happy-go-lucky Seoul taxi driver who is struggling to make ends meet and to take care of his young daughter. After the opportunity presents itself, Man-seob picks up a job escorting Jürgen Hinzpeter (Thomas Kretschmann), a German journalist from Seoul, to Gwangju and back – a task that will quickly prove easier said than done.
Unbeknownst to Man-seob, the political unrest is reaching a boiling point in that area, with protests becoming larger, the government enacting marshal law, and the military occupation escalating their use of force. Citizens, and especially the foreign press, were forbade from entering Gwangju, but needing the cash for rent, Man-seob smooth talks a soldier to let them through and the gravity of the situation they are in soon becomes evident.
In the opening moments of the film, we see Man-seob navigating through protests in Seoul with a flagrant disregard for their cause, only really paying attention to them when a fleeing protester causes him to break off one of his mirrors. Played to perfection by Song Kang-ho, he's a simple everyman whose focus in life is taking care of his daughter in the present and not thinking about what a possible future for her could hold. Song deftly brings heart and humor to the role in one of his best performances to date, solidifying his status as one of the best Korean actors working today and someone who should be getting a lot more attention from Hollywood.
At times feeling like a disaster film, the drama in A Taxi Driver steadily increases through a series of set pieces, each becoming progressively larger in scale, and culminating in one of the film's weaker points – a chase sequence involving a caravan of taxis rushing to the aid of Man-seob and Jurgen as they attempt to escape the pursuing military out of Gwangju.
Like I said, this is a Summer blockbuster through and through, and that includes falling for a few tropes along the way: a smattering of overly melodramatic moments being one of them. These scenes are far from egregious and are easily forgiven due to the incredible true story that's conveyed on the screen, but they do detract from the realism of the events unfolding.
Though there aren't any official numbers, an estimated 600 people lost their lives during the Gwangju Uprising, and while this is a specific and important piece of South Korean history, A Taxi Driver presents this event using broad themes we can all relate to while still honoring those involved and affected by it.


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Morgann Elyce Davis . Flutist
Flute Studio
Look, Listen & Watch
Flutist Morgann Elyce Davis came to her current place in Southeastern Pennsylvania via adventures living in the Midwest. An exercise and wellness enthusiast, she is an energetic performer and engaging teacher. When she's not planning a new adventure or exploring her surroundings in southeastern Pennsylvania, Morgann can be found performing in a variety of settings, teaching, and advocating for music and the arts.
Morgann's primary focus is aiding music students of all ages in their pursuit and enjoyment of music by helping each to develop their unique interests and talents. She currently teaches flute lessons and college level courses in Lancaster, PA and the surrounding area. Beyond teaching, performances such as house concerts, orchestral work, and chamber music serve as an outlet to share an infectious love of music. Morgann can be heard on stage with ensembles such as the Endless Mountain Music Festival, Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Allegro Orchestra of Lancaster, Harrisburg Symphony and Kennett Symphony. Prior to moving to Pennsylvania, Morgann performed with ensembles such as the Dubuque Symphony and Madison Symphony.
A strong advocate for the value of music and the arts, Morgann is on the Career and Artistic Development Committee of the National Flute Association, where she is the current coordinator of the brand new entrepreneurship focused C.R.E.A.T.E. Project Competition. Morgann currently serves on the board of the Allegro Chamber Orchestra where she works to engage a non-traditional audience and enhance music education efforts. Her newest role is as the director of the NextGEN Youth Music Program in Lancaster County.
Recently, Morgann created the Story Soundtracks program with Duke Street branch of the Lancaster Pubic Library as a way to combine her love of reading and love of music. The pilot program, which ran in the summer of 2016 featured three stories where students who attended became the composers, writing the soundtracks for instruments like alto flute and bass clarinet.
Originally from a small town in central Pennsylvania, Morgann spent four defining years at The Ohio State University studying towards a Bachelor of Music degree in flute performance (Magna cum Laude) with Katherine Borst Jones. Following her time in Buckeye country, Morgann received a Master of Music degree (Summa cum Laude) as a student of Stephanie Jutt at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Compelled by the incredible music of Jean Ferrandis and the desire to travel, she pursued study on scholarship as a member of his studio in Courchevel, Paris, and Southern France.
Morgann greatly enjoys the constant growth in finding her place in a fast paced music field and providing the best possible education she can for her students. When she's not working, she can be found practicing hand lettering, exercising and enjoying life as a newlywed, working on ambitious projects like their fixer-upper home with her husband.
Enjoy, in Joy.
Find your music.


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Home / Second World War / 'Broadsword Calling Danny Boy': On Where Eagles Dare
'Broadsword Calling Danny Boy': On Where Eagles Dare
Geoff Dyer
'Broadsword Calling Danny Boy': On Where Eagles Dare quantity
Categories: Film history, theory & criticism, Film history, theory or criticism, Film: styles & genres, Film: styles and genres, Second World War
A Telegraph, Evening Standard and Daily Mail Book of the YearFrom the acclaimed writer and critic Geoff Dyer, an extremely funny scene-by-scene analysis of Where Eagles Dare – published as the film reaches its 50th anniversaryA thrilling Alpine adventure starring a magnificent, bleary-eyed Richard Burton and a coolly anachronistic Clint Eastwood, Where Eagles Dare is the apex of 1960s war movies, by turns enjoyable and preposterous. 'Broadsword Calling Danny Boy' is Geoff Dyer's tribute to the film he has loved since childhood: an analysis taking us from its snowy, Teutonic opening credits to its vertigo-inducing climax. For those who have not even seen Where Eagles Dare, this book is a comic tour-de-force of criticism. But for the film's legions of fans, whose hearts will always belong to Ron Goodwin's theme tune, it will be the fulfilment of a dream.'Geoff Dyer's funniest book yet. Who else would work in Martha Gellhorn on the first page of a book on the film Where Eagles Dare?' Michael Ondaatje'One of our greatest living critics, not of the arts but of life itself, and one of our most original writers' Kathryn Schulz, New York Magazine
1939: Countdown to War
Certain Idea of France, A: The Life of Charles de Gaulle
Julian Jackson
Woman of No Importance, A: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII's Most Dangerous Spy
Sonia Purnell
Chastise: The Dambusters


Accountex, the largest independent cross sector event in the accountancy sector is back and taking place on 11th and 12th May at the ExCel centre, London. The Qtac team will be in attendance and this year we will be showcasing our latest enhancement to our Payroll Software – the Auto Enrolment Control Centre.
As 1.3 million SME's start the auto enrolment process over the next 2 years the impact on both businesses and payroll providers will be significant.
Our research shows that 70% of payroll providers already working with staged businesses have seen a 20% increase in processing times. The Control Centre, an enhancement provided free with all of our Manager, Bureau and Specialist software products, is designed to help manage the Auto enrolment process seamlessly and reduce the stress and additional burden it brings.
The team will be on stand A810 at the exhibition and will be providing free demos of the control centre plus lots of help and support about our entire range of payroll products and managed payroll services.
Why not drop by, enjoy a cupcake whilst you see just how it could improve the way you manage auto enrolment for your clients.
We are also offering some exclusive exhibition discounts from the stand on our software products as well as our outsourced payroll services giving you another reason to drop by.
If you are not attending the exhibition you can still find out more information about the Control Centre and how it could help your business by calling our team on 0117 935 3500 to arrange a free trial of our software or discuss your outsourcing requirements.


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One of my latest articles for London: Education, or lack of, in the United Kingdom
Education lockout for Black Brits?
BY CHARLENE MUHAMMAD -STAFF WRITER- | LAST UPDATED: DEC 30, 2010 - 12:56:12 PMwww.finalcall.comBlack students lag behind in UK—and problem will get worse, says advocates
'It's (fee hikes) definitely going to make it worse for Black students but Black people in the U.K. are the most deprived community in the poorest areas of the country. Because of the discrimination we face in the workplace, we're likely to be in the more lower paid jobs and face high rates of unemployment.'
—Zita Holbourne, education activist and joint chair of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts
(FinalCall.com) - Revelations by a Member of Parliament that Black and other minority students are disproportionately underrepresented at two of London's elite universities is another side of a compounded struggle faced by Black students fighting against tuition increases and for equal access to education, say advocates.
On December 7 in The Guardian newspaper, David Lammy, a former higher education minister and Labour MP for Tottenham, struck a chord when he published the findings of a six-month investigation into undergraduate admissions statistics at Oxford and Cambridge universities.
"Justone British Black Caribbean student was admitted to Oxford last year ... Merton College, Oxford, has not admitted a single Black student for five years. At Robinson College, Cambridge, a White applicant is four times more likely to be successful than a Black applicant. Last year, 292 Black students achieved three A grades at A-level and 475 Black students applied to Oxbridge. Applications are being made but places are not being awarded," Mr. Lammy wrote in the Guardian.
What his investigation revealed was a system in which getting a place remains a matter of being White, middle class and Southern, he wrote.
Mr. Lammy's study preceded a vote by MP's which allows universities to raise tuition fees from 3,250 pounds to up to 9,000 pounds per year. Their vote did not address how the tuition hikes could widen the race and class admissions gap at the schools, he said.
"The stigma of Oxford and Cambridge and Russell Group universities as culturally exclusive, coupled with the fear of extortionate living costs and fees, as well as the inadequate welfare support once there, are a potent mix that prevents many Black students from considering those leading institutions," wrote Kanja Sesay, National Union of Students' Black Student Officer in an e-mail to The Final Call.
"Clearly, more needs to be done to attract and enable Black students who hold appropriate academic qualifications to apply to the leading institutions. However, when the majority of Black students come from the poorest socio-economic groups, it begs the question how this government proposes to help remedy this exclusion?"
Mr. Lammy and Mr. Sesay both noted that there are more Black students studying in London Met University than there are in the entire Russell group (the top 20 Universities in the country). Abolishing the cap on tuition fees will inevitably lead to an even more "elitist" system, Mr. Sesay said.
And by charging more for their courses, the universities will create an even greater race and class divide between higher education institutions, he added.
Mr. Lammy said the responsibility for social justice and fairness was erroneously left up to the goodwill of the universities, but it is government's responsibility.
In a phone interview, Julia Paolitto, press officer with Admissions and Educational Policy for the University of Oxford, told The Final Call Mr. Lammy's reports claiming that Oxford has admitted only one Black student last year are incorrect.
In a follow-up email, she further replied, "The 'only one Black student' figure only refers to British Black students of Caribbean descent—in total Oxford admitted 27 Black British students in 2009 (and this does not include those of mixed race or non-British Black background). There is absolutely no evidence of any kind to suggest that institutional racism is a factor in producing any of the figures Mr. Lammy cites. Oxford's total BME (Black and minority ethnic) population across the whole university is 22 percent, and at undergraduate level this is around 16 percent."
Trevor Hakim, CEO of Black StarLine, an organization, which promotes unity in areas like education and media, believes the bottom line is economics, but it's not that the universities actually need the money. It's that they have already met their economical needs to a certain extent on the backs of the Black students, and because they don't need them anymore, the tuition hikes and admission gaps are being used to drive them out, he said.
There was no real encouragement or push for the poor working class and so-called ethnic minorities to seek higher education until the late-80s, and that push came in order to boost economics, he argued.
Now, year after year, universities figure out how to privatize and raise fees, he said.
Every political party promises every year to stop the fees but as soon as they get in power, they either maintain the fees or raise them, but the system was never set up for the betterment of particularly the poor working class and ethnic minority students, Mr. Hakim said.
The system was always an economical game plan to fill the coffers but never a doorway or opportunity for the people, he argued.
"There is a two-pronged approach and one has always been in the mold and the tradition, whether it's of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Booker T. Washington, it's always been to build learning institutions for ourselves but it has to be an educational paradigm, as the Minister (Louis Farrakhan) has said, that comes with a practical, social society, civilization building educational paradigm," Mr. Hakim said.
The second solution is, if one's within the system, he or she should gain from and take from it what fits into their game plan, he continued. Then build and feed that into a choice of study in order to ultimately fulfill your purpose, Mr. Hakim said.
With those approaches, Black students can begin to formulate their own system of economic welfare and social care and begin to escape many of the challenges they face today, he said.
According to Mr. Sesay, Black students incur worse levels of debt when they enter into higher education, as well as lower pay, discrimination, and institutional racism in the workplace—so in the end, Black people are burdened with paying student debts for longer periods of time.
In addition, he told The Final Call, Black graduates are four times more likely to be unemployed than White graduates.
"It's (fee hikes) definitely going to make it worse for Black students but Black people in the U.K. are the most deprived community in the poorest areas of the country. Because of the discrimination we face in the workplace, we're likely to be in the more lower paid jobs and face high rates of unemployment," said Zita Holbourne, an education activist and joint chair of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts.
Ms. Holbourne said the solutions are not easy and straightforward because of the social and economic conditions of the country, but the universities and colleges are bound by their public sector duties regarding race, gender, and disability.
"They are supposed to identify if there is any impact on those equality grounds in their policies and if there is, they have to address and mitigate that," Ms. Holbourne said.
Posted by Charlene Muhammad at 12:24 PM No comments:
My last interview with Teena Marie
(Soulful songbird Teena Marie and her daughter Alia Rose (photo by Charlene Muhammad)
I have a lot of memories of Teena Marie and like many, I love her music and I really loved the smooth way about her. I love cleaning up to her music but mostly I used to skate to her songs a lot. My favorite Teena Marie song is "I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)."
My mother just called to tell me that she had passed away at age 54 and I thought, it just can't be true! I just saw her. I just hugged her. I just interviewed her!
On October 11, my daughter, Ra'eesah and I were at Sheryl Lee Ralph's 20th Annual "Divas Simply Singing!" which she created in 1990 as a memorial tribute to many of her friends in the entertainment industry, which were passing away left and right. Teena appeared with her beautiful daughter, Alia Rose on the red carpet. They both performed that night.
Before I interviewed Teena, she gave me the warmest greetings of peace, "As Salaam Alaikum, Sistah!" But you know Teena's soulful rhythm. It actually came out like a song.
As she was just in the middle of answering my first question, her red carpet escort began to rush her into the theatre but she insisted on completing her answer for me.
I asked Teena specifically what she thought was contributing to the rising infection rates of HIV/AIDS among our women and girls and what she thought could be done to curb them. We only got halfway through my intended 3 question interview, but I'll always cherish the audio with her soulful voice on it and I thank Allah for granting me the time. Teena replied:
"It just makes me so sad because women, mothers are our future and really the strength of all families, whether it's Black families, White families, whatever, just the awareness on a family level. I think some people just ignore things and it just really, really can't be ignored because a lot of people probably don't know that. A lot of people probably don't know that it affects African American women more than anyone else. You know what I'm saying? So maybe if they're not conscious of that, they're not really thinking about it like, 'It's going to hurt me or whatever.' Our women are our future. As Salaam Alaikum. Nice to see you."
Rest In Peace dear sister Teena Marie and May Allah be pleased with you and be with your family now and always!
Posted by Charlene Muhammad at 10:12 PM 1 comment:
Georgia Prisoners Stage The December 9 Strike!
I received a tip to one of the stories I'm working on for the Final Call Newspaper by Elaine Brown, former chairman of the Black Panther Party. She told me that thousands of prisoners across the state of Georgia are set to cause a work stoppage Thursday by staying in their cells for what they are calling a peaceful, one-day protest for their human rights.
According to Elaine, the inmates' action, aka the December 9 Strike, will include men from Baldwin, Hancock, Hays, Macon, Smith, and Telfair State Prisons, and that they are targeting the Georgia Department of Corrections because it treats them like slaves.
Some of their demands are living wages for work, educational opportunities beyond a GED (equivalent of a high school diploma), and decent health care.
She added, "The prisoner leaders issued the following call: 'No more slavery. Injustice in one place is injustice to all ... Lock down for liberty!"
When she was talking, Michael Jackson's song below came to mind; but look for more on what happened during the strike, the Geogia DOC's response, and the outcome of their action in the Final Call soon!
Black Midwives this Saturday on Some of Us Are Brave
This Saturday, certified midwife Sis. JayVon Muhammad out of Oakland, California will be at Muhammad Mosque #27 at 5350 Crenshaw Blvd (@ 54th) to present a seminar on homebirth and midwifery care, "The Solution to Pregnancy and Childbirth Issues in the Black Community." The program is from 2-6 pm and admission is just $10.
But before the event she'll be my guest, along with Shafia Monroe, veteran midwife and president of the International Center for Traditional Childbearing, and Western Region Student Captain Aminah Muhammad.
We will discuss the benefits of home births, and something that's new to me: the "Baby Mama" epidemic, and how it impacts Black infant mortality.
Thanks for tuning in! That's from 1-1:30 PM on KPFK, 90.7 FM in Los Angeles, 98.7 FM in Santa Barbara, and streaming live online at www.kpfk.org.
I hope you won't but in case you miss the show, it can be heard along with some of our past shows for the next 90 days on KPFK's website through Audio Archives.
Meanwhile, here are some links to their websites:
www.UrbanMidwifery.com
www.SistaGirlMidwifery.com
www.ictcmidwives.org
Sis Charlene
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BAIL DENIED! Oscar Grant's killer headed to prison
(following an earlier court appearance, l-r, Jack Bryson, Wanda Johnson, Student Minister Keith Muhammad, and Cephus Johnson)
The family of Oscar Grant is making their way now to speak to the press about the bail hearing of Johannes Mehserle, the former BART officer who shot and killed their son on News Years Day, 2009. A jury convicted Mehserle of involuntary manslaughter, with negligence for using a gun; Judge Robert Perry overruled the jury, threw out the gun enhancement, and sentenced Mehserle to two years, the minimum.
Today his attorney requested that he be sent home on bail and Grant's uncle, Cephus 'Uncle Bobby' Johnson, just told the Final Call in an interview from court that bail was denied!
They are making their way to a press conference with supporters but here is his full statement to the Final Call:
Cephus "Uncle Bobby" Johnson:
The biggest thing is that no bail was granted.
We were surprised there was no argument on the issues that he was a threat to society or a flight risk. After the shooting he fled to Nevada and he has had incidents of excessive force before.
Also it was not brought up in court about his record, that he has been represented for excessive force. Those two weren't considered, but the judge (Robert Perry) didn't grant bail because I actually thought that he knew those were realities, that Mehserle's a flight risk because he has run before.
It lets me know that he is one of the first police officers that will go into the prison as an inmate, and not as a guard or a policeman.
It doesn't take away our pain of the fact that he only got about six months, but we understand too that as far as history is concerned, its a small step in the right direction.
Wanda's (his sister and Oscar's mother) sentiments are, for a brief, brief moment right now, she's smiling concerning what happened today but she is still in pain. We just had Thanksgiving, and Oscar wasn't with us.
What's next for the family:
Of course, we are pursuing the Department of Justice and will do whatever we can to bring leverage and push for moving the process forward.
We are also taking a look at some of the judicial issues concerning Judge Perry himself, which include his failure to give the correct jury instructions and the way he handled the case from beginning to the end.
Posted by Charlene Muhammad at 2:08 PM No comments:
One of my latest articles for London: Education, ...
Black Midwives this Saturday on Some of Us Are Bra...
BAIL DENIED! Oscar Grant's killer headed to prison...


President Donald Trump is capable of saying awful things, of embarrassing himself, of embarrassing the country. There is a reason his approval rating has dipped into the dismal 30 percent range.
And yet it is time to acknowledge that no matter how bad Trump gets, the Left continues to outdo even him.
First, recall how President Trump was mocked for suggesting that efforts to remove Confederate statues won't stop with Confederates. "This week it's Robert E. Lee. I noticed that Stonewall Jackson is coming down. I wonder is it George Washington next week and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after?" Trump said Tuesday.
The president was savaged for drawing a moral equivalency between Washington and Lee. And yet people on the Left draw the same equivalence exactly in the way Trump said they would.
Second, the Left likes to argue that President Trump's rhetoric creates a "direct line" to acts of violence, like those committed in Charlottesville last weekend.
The Democratic state senator, Maria Chappelle-Nadal, confessed to the message.
These leftists don't excuse the president's behavior when he's wrong. But they do demonstrate that no matter how crazy the president acts, the Left will always escalate by reacting even crazier.


E. Brian Bannon, a lifelong Browns Mills resident, died Sept. 16, 2013, the result of a diving accident.
He was a member of the Carpenters Union. Brian was also an avid hunter.
He was the son of the late Janet Saul; father of Edward and Samantha Bannon; brother of Janice Miller, John Bannon, Cindy Chinquee and Beth Tracy; and step brother of Andrea Lawrence and Michael Saul.


text:
Q: bcrypt.compare with Promise always return false I'm new to Express.js and Passport.js, so probably I'm doing something wrong since bcrypt comapre function always return false.
public static findUser = async ({ email, password }) => {
  const pool = await new sql.ConnectionPool(CommonConstants.connectionString).connect();
  const request = pool.request();
  const result = await request
    .input("Email", sql.NVarChar, email)
    .execute("FindUserSP");
  const user = result.recordset;
  return await bcrypt.compare(password, user[0].Password) ? user : {};
};

That's how hash was created:
const password = req.body.Password;
const email = req.body.Email;
const salt = await bcrypt.genSalt(10);
const hash = await bcrypt.hash(password, salt);

Test case:
Hash: $2b$10$nK1.wW71NcBIQkMQq6wpHe/HMhCjOaQNy9BpfPDef01
password: 123
version: 3.0.2

A: Check that the database is not truncating the data. The hash should generally be 60 characters, not 50 from:
const salt = await bcrypt.genSalt(10);
const hash = await bcrypt.hash(password, salt);

Tested:
https://repl.it/@CodyGeisler/bcrypt-test?language=nodejs

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


One of Britain's largest housebuilders hopes to start building factory-made homes this year with the aim that up to a quarter of its homes could eventually be prefabricated.
Berkeley Homes acquired a 160,000 sq ft site in Ebbsfleet, Kent, last year to build modular homes. The factory will eventually produce about 1,000 homes a year. Once built they can be installed in half a day. Berkeley builds about 4,000 homes a year. The company said last month that the use of modular construction was partly a response to the "skills crisis" facing the industry and to fears of a drop-off in the supply of workers from the EU.


Jo Tartan, a high school girl from Sanibel Island, Florida, survived, against all odds, in the Peruvian amazon. And she turned her scientist parents' expedition from a search for her into a scientific success. They found the obscure Nunca people, befriended them and learned their secrets of enormous value, freedom from malaria and long life. Jo more than proved her mettle. Most important to her, she proved herself to expedition leader Mark Steiner who became the object of her young love. That is the story told in Kain's novel, THE NUNCA RIDDLE.
A year later, the world is about to invade the shy, generous Nunca people. In a noble but hopeless venture, the Tartans return to the Amazon to warn the Nuncas. Jo, her father and brother are captured and held for ransom by soldiers of the Red Column, Maoist guerillas bent on ruling Peru--a senario p[laying out today.
THE RED COLUMN is the story of Jo's capture, imprisonment, and escape. Also of the reentry into Jo's life of Mark Steiner. It is the celebration of the guts, determination and ingenuity of the sometimes too daring young woman.


text:
Stomping Puddles
The kids got it right
What's the weather where you are? As for me, it's one of those perfect summer days — sunny, low humidity, high of 82.
There's all kinds of shades of blue to blue skies, especially in summertime when the heat can bring a late afternoon thunderboomer. Then the blue turns cornflower, the saturation deepening with a shade of gray.
But this morning, the blue is thinner and brighter, almost tropical.
Do you love summer? People seem to. I like it of course, particular this part of summer when the grass is emerald of its own accord and the irises are still hanging on.
But I also like my weather uneven with piles of rumble-bumble clouds and shifting winds, I admit. A calm day like this — I take it, of course. It's lovely and sweet, like sucking on the a butterscotch disc from my Granny's Brach's bag.
those puddles were not going to stomp themselves
But you know, we had 10 days of measurable rain in a row recently. 10 consistent days. That sort of weather wasn't too lovely. It's the sameness that gets me, I suppose. Like a kid, I get bored.
I mean, not everyone likes to be surprised by things — but heck I do. My kids too.
We especially liked the warm day in CT when it rained so much the gutters flooded and they exclaimed CAN WE GO OUT IN THE RAIN and they jammed their toes in their boots, pulled on useless rain slickers and went for it.
We're all still kiddos, till the day we die. My mom always said that.
"I look in the mirror and think 'who is that? I'm still 9 years old!'" she'd say.
Mom loved to play tennis. She loved a Coke slurpee. She was a great swimmer. She got lost in a book. She was a pain in the ass.
My sister, Ann, Mom and me at the wave pool
What do you do that is really just the 9 year old in you acting out?


Unusual Rookwood Standard Glaze lidded punch bowl, a special order possibly for Senator Robert Taft of Ohio, son of President William Howard Taft, decorated by Albert Valentien in 1890. Encircling both the bowl and the lid are finely detailed grape vines, leaves and grapes. Thick, heart shaped, handles are applied to opposite sides of the body. Marks include the Rookwood logo and date code, Special shape number S 903, impressed W for white clay, incised L for Light Standard Glaze and the incised initials of the artist. Height 16 1/4 inches. There is some crazing and a very tight line at the rim by one of the handles. The bowl was a gift to Senator Taft's housekeeper and acquired from her by the present owner.


Awesome Location! Recent major updates show like a "10", new carpets, new floori ng, new oak cabinets, new paint inside and out, B/I china cabinet, sunken living room, large 8000 + sq.ft. fenced yard, 4 ft. crawl space for storage, double glazed windows, located on a quiet cul-de-sac with plenty of parking, close to city centre, Agri-rec park, schools, churches, shopping and transit. Easy to show.


text:
/**
 * Created by Abdullah on 8/9/2014.
 */

'use strict';

/**
 * Module dependencies.
 */
var mongoose = require('mongoose'),
    Schema = mongoose.Schema;

var TagSchema = new Schema({
    name:{type:String}
});

mongoose.model('Tag', TagSchema);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Milan managed to finally prevail in Serie against Sassuolo away and are back to winning ways after three consecutive and disappointing draws.
Over the past week, there was a lot out doubt over the centre-forward position with this Milan squad due to injuries. With Higuain sustaining an injury and Cutrone still not 100% fit, the team had to rely on Borini against Empoli. Borini himself then suffered an injury during training that ruled him out from starting against Sassuolo.
Coach Gattuso decided to go with the false nine solution, with Castillejo playing as a forward. The team started a little slow but gained momentum throughout the game with Calhanoglu and Castillejo rotating in the first half. Eventually, Castillejo got used to the position and got into the game and managed to even score his first ever goal in the Milan jersey.
Without a true striker for the game this weekend, we needed the entire team to step up and create chances and make up for Higuain's absence. That is exactly what Kessie did. In the first half, he had a chance that was cleared off the line when he chipped the goalkeeper. Then, in the 39th minute, Kessie scored the opener with a tremendous solo effort.
Apart from his goal, Kessie had great passing and tracking ability in the game this weekend. If he keeps up performances like this, he will be a huge part of the team for the years to come.
Milan have taken the lead in all but one game this season and have not been able to hold on their winning position. This has been one of our biggest flaws this season, and Gattuso's men showed that they can build a lead and hold on it.
After conceding a third in the 60th minute, Sassuolo were able to get one back in the 68th minute. Instead of collapsing, as we have in the past, we held on to the lead and even scored the 4th goal in the last minute of stoppage time.
After the draw against Empoli, speculations arose about the safety of Gattuso's position as the team coach. There have been reports that the club is thinking of Conte to replace him, and that Elliott made a trip to the training ground to speak with the team about recent performances.
With the way, the team played against Sassuolo and the reaction that the players had when they scored, by celebrating with Gattuso, it is clear that they are truly playing for him. Both Suso and Castillejo ran straight over to Gattuso as soon as they scored their respective goals. We do not know what is said in the dressing room, but by the looks of it, the team wants to play for their coach.
After not scoring since February this year, Suso had an amazing game against Sassuolo, scoring a beautiful curler, and a last-minute deflected goal. Suso has been getting grief from fans this season because of his poor scoring form.
To be fair, the keepers played some amazing game against us and namely against Suso's shots. He has been an asset to the team the past 2 seasons, being able to find the back of the net when our strikers couldn't. Now Milanisti must hope he and Higuain will be able to team up for a double-digit goal scoring season.


text:
Branch and FlowersOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Quirky Lens
I have an inexpensive quirky lens from China, relatively sharp in center and soft at edges, all manual and 34mm, equivalent to 68mm on my Oly 4/3rds camera. It is fun to work with trying to master its idiosyncrasies. Not to everyone's taste I suspect, but I like its capabilities. Some images seem dreamy, magical with a pleasing blurriness, best in black and white. P6040039OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA P6040107OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA P6040009OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA P6040053OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Keywords: Jackar lens, Upper West Side, bicyclist, blackandwhite, blurriness, boats, monochrome, pathway, river, trees
Missed Chance published in West Side Rag January 2023 A Christmas Tree Fantasy, published in West Side Rag, Dec.11, 2022 December's Ode to withered Flowers Ode to Water Towers, published Westside Rag, Nov. 29, 2022 Poem for November (Published in West Side Rag, Nov. 8, 2022 Copake Autumn Two Toned Hair Tranformation Milkweed: Seeds in a Pod Aguan, Thank You
NYC leaves trees outdoors branches Central Park autumn winter snow haiku
January February March April May June July August (7) September (7) (4) October (4) (5) November (5) (5) December (5)
(11) January (11) (8) February (8) (8) March (8) (17) April (17) (10) May (10) (8) June (8) (12) July (12) (10) August (10) (12) September (12) (13) October (13) (19) November (19) (18) December (18)
(14) January (14) (12) February (12) (15) March (15) (12) April (12) (10) May (10) (9) June (9) (6) July (6) (6) August (6) (8) September (8) (7) October (7) (7) November (7) (10) December (10)
(7) January (7) (7) February (7) (10) March (10) (8) April (8) (7) May (7) (9) June (9) (8) July (8) (10) August (10) (9) September (9) (7) October (7) (8) November (8) (10) December (10)
(8) January (8) (3) February (3) (9) March (9) (12) April (12) (12) May (12) (10) June (10) (9) July (9) (9) August (9) (4) September (4) (7) October (7) (7) November (7) (6) December (6)
(3) January (3) (2) February (2) (1) March (1) (3) April (3) (1) May (1) (1) June (1) (2) July (2) (1) August (1) (1) September (1) (3) October (3) November (1) December (1)
(1) January (1) (1) February (1) March (1) April (1) (2) May (2) June (1) July (1) (2) August (2) (3) September (3) (4) October (4) (1) November (1) December
(1) January (1) February March (1) April (1) (2) May (2) (3) June (3) July August September October (1) November (1) December
(1) January (1) February March April May June July (1) August (1) September (1) October (1) (2) November (2) (2) December (2)
(1) January (1) February March April May June July August September October November December
© Silver Screen Productions/Mildred Alpern


Often times, the inspiration behind Mantled designs can't be explained any way but "Spirit-led". Often a certain Saint or quote pops up in our lives and just doesn't go away until we've made it happen on a shirt or poster! For example, one of most recent tees, "Holy Mary, Undoer of Knots" is a somewhat unknown Marian devotion and novena. I personally had never even heard of it until three completely unrelated people in my lives mentioned her within a week of each other. I read up on her and found the prayers beautiful and the design basically fell onto the paper.
Other times, I WANT something to happen really bad, but nothing I do looks good or feels right. I WANTED to make a St. Joseph tee. He's near and dear to my heart and I've been wanting to make a design for the patron of our Church for a while now. I thought it was finally time...even to the point of announcing it last month! But alas, I struggled through the design until finally I realized that the Spirit was telling me, "Not yet".
So instead of one St. Joseph design, we released a grafitti-style "Revolution" tee (and tank) portraying St. Peter, St. Paul and St. John. And on top of that is our "Be Love Walk" tee! We feel like God was making up for our disappointment in not having a St. Joseph tee by giving us two cool designs in the interim!
Don't worry fellow St. Joseph lovers! We're staying open for inspiration and can't wait until we are able to unveil a new tee. In the meantime, check out the four new designs (and the St. Michael redesign)!


text:
Q: cannot convert 'const char*' to 'std::istream* It seems to be easy for you, but I am stuck here. Here is a function in C++ for loading matrix from ASCII file.
void load_matrix(std::istream* is,
        std::vector< std::vector<double> >* matrix,
        const std::string& delim = " \t")
{
    using namespace std;

    string      line;
    string      strnum;

    // clear first
    matrix->clear();

    // parse line by line
    while (getline(*is, line))
    {
        matrix->push_back(vector<double>());

        for (string::const_iterator i = line.begin(); i != line.end(); ++ i)
        {
            // If we i is not a delim, then append it to strnum
            if (delim.find(*i) == string::npos)
            {
                strnum += *i;
                continue;
            }

            // if strnum is still empty, it means the previous char is also a
            // delim (several delims appear together). Ignore this char.
            if (strnum.empty())
                continue;

            // If we reach here, we got a number. Convert it to double.
            double       number;

            istringstream(strnum) >> number;
            matrix->back().push_back(number);

            strnum.clear();
        }
    }
}

In the code I have, we get file name from user as below there is default.dat file availble:
const char* filename1 = (argc > 1) ? argv[1] : "default.dat";

I am wondering how I can use this filename1 as argunemt fot loadmatrix function.
Thanks

A: Construct a std::ifstream object with the file name, and then pass a pointer to that object to your loadmatrix function: std::ifstream inherits std::istream, so this typechecks:
std::vector< std::vector<double> > matrix;
std::ifstream f( filename1 );
if ( !f ) {
    // XXX Error handling
}
loadmatrix( &f, &matrix );


I am a very affectionate and caring, honest and faithful, supportive and reliable, life-loving and easy-going, sincere, optimistic, tender and joyful person. Being a passionate and sensual woman I know how to bring warmth and harmony into my man's heart.
I like nature very much, walking barefoot holding hands on the beach, to cook testy BBQ in the beautiful forest, to have wonderful boat trip or just spend time in the park. Traveling is one of the greatest sources of inspiration for me. I like to travel and to learn all new, moreover my work give me a lot of opportunities for it.
I am looking for a man who knows how to treat his woman. He should appreciate his lady and I will do the same in return. I am looking for a decent, family-minded, faithful, kind, caring, honest, responsible man. My soul mate should be serious but joyful at the same time.


text:
Фестивал ватромета је међународни фестивал у Сремској Митровици, и једини фестивал тог типа на простору Србије. У току трајања фестивала такмичари изводе различите пиромузичке ватромете.Организатор је Удружење "Звезда репатица" из Сремске Митровице а фестивал је под покровитељством је града.С а Манифестација се одвија на Митровачком хиподрому.
Поред гланог програма, посетиоцима је приређен и културно уметнички програм, као и забавни парк за децу.

Види још
 Ватромет
 Сремска Митровица

Референце

Фестивали у Србији
Сремска Митровица

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Today my marks my entrance into the world of adulthood. Nevermind the husband, four kids, right to vote, and missing out on the "kids eat free" deals at numerous restaurants. Now, yes, now, I am truly an adult. And why now, you ask. Well, lovely reader, because today ...we bought our first house!
Yes, I, too, am now tied to a mortgage, the quintessential sign of being a mature, responsible adult. Nevermind the fact that I go barefoot nearly everywhere, or my compulsion to jump in puddles and chase butterflies, for I own house and that makes me, undeniably, a grown up.
Wine to celebrate. Have a glass of Cabernet with me and let's think happy thoughts at the future together.


Two weekends ago my oldest child, my first born, my very first baby boy turned twelve.
As a parent, watching your children grow -- and grow -- and grow is a bit bittersweet. I would even venture to say it can be hard. I remember holding my babies, and watching them toddle around, and their first this and their first that...their first day of school. So having to endure my son's 12th Birthday when I still remember his 1st very vividly...yep, you got it! Hard.
What made it even harder was that we were in the middle of this move to Japan. So, my poor boy was away from his friends that he's had for the last four years. And yes, as we always try to remember, 'tis the way of military life. And we try not to complain. But sometimes it is hard. So, especially because of that -- because of being in transition, I didn't want the day to just come and go without a bang! We are in the middle of moving and I wanted to make it special. I wanted Daziel to know that our traditions and our family is what we make it, no matter where we go.
So I asked Daziel what he wanted to do on his special day. He of course wanted his Birthday Breakfast -- because that is a tradition in our family. No matter what day we celebrate your birthday and have your party, no matter if it's a big party or just dinner with a friend, we always, always, start your actual birthday out with a special Birthday Breakfast. Whatever you want it to be, whether that is pancakes with m&m's and cool whip... or what Daziel requested this year... eggs benedict perfected by Uncle Darold.
When I was planning what else we'd do for the rest of Daziel's birthday, I was a bit surprised by his reaction. I offered to take him to Silverwood, a theme park not too far from here. I told him we could take him to play laser tag, or to go fishing...but my boy, he just nodded and with a ho-hum little voice he said "yeah, whichever will be ok". So I thought, and I talked to my boy, and I thought some more. What was making him so glum? He finally told me he was bummed about not getting to spend his birthday with my husband, Craig. You see...Craig was gone last summer too -- he was deployed for four months. So my boy was bumming about that...and who can blame him? This whole moving and being away from the ones you love kind of stinks. But, Craig's already in Japan, we're here, there wasn't much I could do about that.
So, I thought and thought some more...about my boy and what he was feeling. And I thought of another option for his birthday, an option I was a bit hesitant to suggest.
You see, we are staying with my sister Angela -- who just so happens to live in the same town as Daziel's father. So, I worked up the courage and I set my feelings aside -- I asked Daziel if he'd like us to have a family barbecue with his dad and all his dad's family. His eyes lit up, he smiled and said "yeah!". So, I went about planning it out. Daziel and I even sat down one evening to plan it out with his father. Because even though his father and I aren't best buds, and even though we've had some very major disagreements that were/are being worked out... I thought it was still very important for us to wave a white flag, to call a truce, and to throw a party -- together -- for our son. So Daziel could see us working together for him. We hadn't done a party together for Daziel since his 3rd Birthday. I wasn't so sure that I was up to it. But I was sure it was what my boy wanted -- so that's what he got!
He got to spend the day with his uncle -- who -- wow! Doesn't he look so much like!?!!
to enjoy the yummy mexican candies inside of it..
which was followed by a special cake made by Uncle Darold and decorated by Aunt Angie, and cousin, Bethany.
That day was all about making sure that a very special "little" boy felt very, very loved!!
12 years -- I can't believe it!
My oldest, Daziel, turned 12 today.
Twelve years ago, I was seventeen. Having him changed my life forever... and I would not change it for anything. Twelve years later, I hope I'm making as much of a difference in his life as he has made in mine.
I love you Daziel, Happy Birthday!!!
Do You Know the Preamble??
So, Craig got home and was happy to be home and to see all of us. We were overjoyed to see him and the kids mauled him and tackled him and tickled him for about a day straight. And then, they went back to school and we...SLEPT! He was jetlagged and had sinus issues the first couple of days he was home. I got my sinus infection back and was running a fever then too. So, we basically slept for two and a half days. How romantic, hmnn? But I'm still enjoying his all-day compay (he hasn't had to go back to work yet)...and we feel much better and very rested!
Now we're all back to feeling somewhat normal and have been helping Daziel with his homework. I tell ya, 6th grade is really a family affair! Daz has WORLD HISTORY this year. He can earn extra credit tomorrow if he can recite the Preamble. So, for HOURS tonight (my son has a really hard time memorizing things) we listened to this and sang this song so he can recite it tomorrow. He NEEDS these extra credit points!
Can you believe they have such cute haircuts? Can you believe they have such cute teachers?!?!
Can you believe I drove them to school and made asked them nicely to take a picture with their teacher in the doorway to their classroom? (To which they each replied "Sure, we'd love to!" *smile*) Can you believe that these kids look so grown up!?!? That they ARE so grown? That I officially have a 6th, 4th and 1st grader? I remember when I used to do home daycare and I'd take care of "School Agers"...and they seemed so big to me. So old. That was back when I had a Kindergartner, a Preschooler and an Infant. Now, I'm the one with the School Agers that are so big. So old. Back then, when Daz started Kindergarten, I couldn't believe he was old enough. That I already had a kid in school. And now, Colby, my youngest, is past Kindergarten. It's kind of hard for me to wrap my brain around. That my kids are getting so big. That summer flew by so fast and another school year is here already. That my kids are growing up so fast. That...Wow. Sniff. Sniff. Pout. Tear. Breath. Sheesh! Can you believe I'm getting so sentimental over the first day of school?