The British Youth Council has been shortlisted as a finalist for two Children and Young People Now Awards – 'Tne Youth Volunteering and Social Action Award' and 'The Children and Young People's Charity Award'. The nominations are in recognition of the volunteers, partners and staff who came together to ensure over 960,000 young people had their say during UK Youth Parliament's Make Your Mark campaign in, UK Youth Parliament's 2015 campaign for better mental health services, 'Time to Talk' and it's most recent campaign on racism and religious discrimination, 'Don't Hate, Educate'. The second nomination for Charity Award is for the charity's work in giving young people a voice through its democracy-based initiative, Youth Voice, across the UK.
UK Youth Parliament's Make Your Mark campaign has cemented its place as the UK's largest referendum of young people with more young people having their say year on year. The Make Your Mark campaign gives young people a say on what is discussed by their Members of Youth Parliament in their annual House of Commons debate. Both this year's topics were also made subjects of British Youth Council's Youth Select Committee inquiries which attract a formal Government response and dialogue between young people and Ministers.
'Don't Hate, Educate!' has seen Members of Youth Parliament working in their communities to reduce racism and racial discrimination. Over the last year, UK Youth Parliament have campaigned, in partnership with Kick It Out, to challenge negative attitudes around race and religion; work with others to educate their communities in order to tackle ignorance about race and religion, and promote integration in their communities.
UK Youth Parliament's devolved campaign, 'Time to Talk', involved Members of Youth Parliament striving to improve young people's access to school counsellors within their place of learning. The campaign, which was developed in partnership with Youth Access, also saw Members of Youth Parliament call on decision makers to ensure that schools allocate enough time for students to see school counsellors; and that they are safe, professional and youth friendly.
The Children & Young People Now Awards have become the gold standard for everyone working with children, young people and families. Now in their eleventh year, these awards provide a great source of pride and recognition for all those who strive day in, day out, to improve the lives of others. They offer an opportunity to raise the profile of projects and initiatives to funders and the general public.
The awards present a tremendous showcase of learning and best practice from across the country that can be an inspiration to all. They also recognise initiatives from the public, private and voluntary sector that work with children and young people from birth to adolescence as well as their families. Initiatives might be aimed at all children and families within a community or targeted at those who are the most vulnerable or disadvantaged.


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First Details of Senate Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations...
...and they look pretty good! Better than we thought, certainly.
You'll recall we worried that the President's American Competitiveness Initiative would face problems in the Senate due to the need to pay for cuts to NOAA and NASA in the President's budget. But the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee marked up their bill today (link doesn't render on my Mac, however) and managed to get NOAA $1.1 billion more than the House included in their bill, and about $126 million more for NASA, without carving it out of the other science agencies. NSF and NIST managed to make it out of the markup with significant increases still intact. I haven't seen the mark yet, so I don't know all the details. But the short story appears to be that NIST will get its requested level and NSF gets almost everything requested -- about $29 million shy of the request, actually -- but still a healthy increase of $410 million over FY 06.
Here's the detail the committee's released so far (comparisons to the House bill in parentheses):
NIST: $764 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (vs. $627 million in the House bill) -- $11.9 million above the FY06 enacted level and $182 million above the budget request. $106 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) (vs. $92 million in the House). No mention of ATP funding (zeroed in the House). It's not clear how much of that $764 million would go to the NIST Labs, but considering the House included the full $104 million called for in the ACI in their smaller allocation, odds are decent that NIST Labs will actually receive their requested funding.
NSF: $5.99 billion for National Science Foundation: $410 million above the FY06 enacted level; $29 million less than the House bill.
NOAA: $4.43 billion for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (vs. $3.4 billion in the House bill): $536 million above the FY06 enacted level, excluding supplemental appropriations, and $753 million above the budget request.
NASA: $16.8 billion for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (vs. $16.7 billion in the House): $126 million above the FY06 enacted level.
If these numbers survive the full committee markup -- scheduled for Thursday -- and then again on the Senate floor, then NSF and NIST (and likely DOE Office of Science, when it gets its turn in the Energy and Water bill) will just about be assured of getting nearly the level of increase called for by the President back in January. The only possible monkey wrenches at that point -- at least that I can see -- would be Presidential veto (unlikely) or some sort of appropriations meltdown that would lead to another across-the-board cut as happened last year. Even then, it's hard to imagine an across-the-board cut stunting much of the growth NSF, NIST and DOE SC should experience as a result of these appropriations.
Further good news is a recent indication from OMB that the out-year increases for ACI called for in the President's FY07 budget are likely to be realized, at least in the next budget (FY 08) -- meaning the Administration doesn't see ACI as a one-shot deal; it's committed to a multi-year increase for these agencies.
So, we're in pretty good shape at the moment (knocking on wood).
Of course, we'll have more details as they come available....
Posted by PeterHarsha at July 11, 2006 09:59 PM
Posted to American Competitiveness Initiative | FY07 Appropriations | Funding

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Scholar Athlete of the Week: Northside's Walt McConnell
PATRIOTS JUNIOR SHORTSTOP MCCONNELL MAINTAINS A 4.2 GPA AND PLANS TO PLAY COLLEGE BASEBALL
The GHSA 4A defending State Baseball Champions, the Northside Patriots, are putting their 2019 title in the past and focusing on this new season.
"I mean it's great. The atmospher is great. We love being here. I mean we got a long way to go, but we're getting there. We just got to keep working on it."
Junior shortstop Walt McConnell currently leads the Patriots in RBI's and home runs, with two hits going yard as of March 12.
"Well I just try to hit them hard and whatever happens happens. I usually try to get that first pitch fastball. I don't like getting deep in there."
His dedication to the game all year long shows in the classroom as well. McConnell holds a 4.2 GPA and takes courses in the engineering program. He is not sure what or where he wants to study for college, but the junior does know where in the country he would like to play.
"I mean I like it here in the south, but I'm just trying to play ball somewhere. That would be great. That's all I want to do."
McConnell has learned a lot about technique and offseason training from his dad, who played Triple-A baseball under the Angels and Dodgers organizations.
"Working out with him ever since I was little. He's my go-to. Think what he says to me most is go hard. Play wide open."
Baseball is always a battle on the field and in the batter's box, but McConnell loves the challenge.
"You fail a lot, but when you're winning it feels great."
Congratulations to Walt McConnell, our WLTZ Scholar Athlete of the Week.
*Due to the Coronavirus, COVID-19, outbreak, Muscogee County's Leadership Team has made the call to suspend all games and practices from March 13, 2020 to April 5. The team will reevaluate their decision on April 6, at the end of spring break.
Tags: baseball, Northside Patriots, Walt McConnell, wltz scholar athlete of the week


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Is It Time to Be Concerned About Bo?
An 0-4 in the first game of New Hampshire's doubleheader with the Nationals' Harrisburg affiliate yesterday dropped Bo Bichette's average for the season to .264. He struck out 3 times (fanning 6 times in 14 ABs in the series against the Senators), and is hitting .194 over his last 10 games.
After leading the minor leagues in hitting last summer as he rocketed his way up the top prospect rankings, this is the first prolonged slump of his young career. Scouts were lukewarm about his brother Dante's long-term prospects even though he too tore up short season ball when he first turned pro, and his career stalled at AA, and he's now playing independent ball. Bo may not plateau at that level, but is it time to be a little bit concerned after he struck out three times yesterday?
From a stats perspective, there are some reasons to be concerned. Bichette's 20.6% K rate is the highest of his career, as his GB rate of 45.2%, which suggests some swing-and-miss, as well as some weak contact.
From a scouting viewpoint, Bichette seems to be more aggressive this year than he was last. He's swinging at a lot of pitches early in the count, and is finding himself in pitcher's counts more often than not. Few hitters will produce sparkling numbers in that situation, and Bo is no exception, producing a .193/.193/.333 line. What's more concerning is that he's been in behind-the-count situations almost twice as often as he's been ahead, although it bears pointing out that his 11% walk rate is above his career average.
When he swings, Bichette seems to be just missing the barrel lately. His 3rd AB yesterday was a microcosm of his past 10 games. Hunting a first pitch fastball, Bichette took a mighty hack at an elevated pitch and fouled it back to the screen. The next pitch was a hanging breaking ball on the outer half, with the same result. The 3rd pitch in the sequence as a fastball down and in that resulted in another foul, while he laid off the 4th, a breaking pitch in the dirt. Another breaking ball up in the zone had him out in front, and he took a huge rip but missed – somewhat surprising, because Bichette is well-known for his ability to cut down on his swing with two strikes.
Should we be concerned, or is this just a dry spell that he'll eventually break out of? History suggests the latter – he did put together a 9 and a 10 game hitting streak in April, a month in which Bichette hit .292/.364/.427. Evaluators passing through the northeast have all commented on his vastly upgraded defence. Bichette is showing the requisite footwork, hands, arm strength, and ability to make the double play pivot of a Major League Short Stop. With fellow prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr receiving national attention, is Bichette maybe pressing a bit much? That's a tough question to answer, but it does appear from his approach that he's not as patient at the plate as he has been in the past. This may just be a stretch of adversity that it seems like most minor leaguers go through – the successful ones learn how to adjust. Past performance suggests that Bichette will.
Tagged Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr
Published by Dmfox
Long-time fan of the Jays, the minors, and baseball in general. Flags fly forever.	View all posts by Dmfox
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Eye On Government
Cops Gone Rogue
Texas Cops Arrest Protesters for Desecrating Thin Blue Line Flag; Cameras Seized
Carlos Miller
A brewing battle between auditors and Leon Valley police erupted today when cops arrested several protesters and seized several cameras after one of them desecrated the Thin Blue Line flag in front of city hall.
Police claimed they were making the arrests because the protesters were "obstructing the passageway" to walk inside Leon Valley City Hall, but they almost bowled over a woman trying to enter the station who had nothing to do with the protest.
In fact, it was that same woman that police are basing their arrest on because she was entering the building as the protesters stood inside a passageway that leads outsides inside city hall.
The Thin Blue Line flag, often worn on police uniforms along with the American flag, happens to be a desecration of the American flag, according to U.S. Flag Code , which states the following:
The flag of the United States shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; and the union of the flag shall be forty-eight stars, white in a blue field.
The U.S. Code also states that altering the American flag for advertising purposes within Washington D.C. is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail, according to the ridiculously long passage below where the relevant parts are in bold.
§3. Use of flag for advertising purposes; mutilation of flag
Any person who, within the District of Columbia, in any manner, for exhibition or display, shall place or cause to be placed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, or any advertisement of any nature upon any flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America; or shall expose or cause to be exposed to public view any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign upon which shall have been printed, painted, or otherwise placed, or to which shall be attached, appended, affixed, or annexed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, or drawing, or any advertisement of any nature; or who, within the District of Columbia, shall manufacture, sell, expose for sale, or to public view, or give away or have in possession for sale, or to be given away or for use for any purpose, any article or substance being an article of merchandise, or a receptacle for merchandise or article or thing for carrying or transporting merchandise, upon which shall have been printed, painted, attached, or otherwise placed a representation of any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign, to advertise, call attention to, decorate, mark, or distinguish the article or substance on which so placed shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100 or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, in the discretion of the court. The words "flag, standard, colors, or ensign", as used herein, shall include any flag, standard, colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, colors, standard, or ensign of the United States of America.
But police don't seem to see it as flag desecration even though the design of the current Thin Blue Line flag is just nothing more than the American flag blended in with the previous thin blue line flag, which was just a black flag with a blue line across the middle, but those are largely a thing of the past.
But how can we expect cops to honor the U.S. Flag Code when they can't even honor their oath to the Constitution?
One of the protesters who was arrested said a cop told him that they were following orders to "go grab cameras," which is a huge Constitutional violation, especially since they already have security cameras that should have recorded the protester's actions.
This is a breaking story, so we will be updating it throughout the evening.
The video of the arrests is above.
Below is a video from the activists where they provide an update.
James Freemam Arrested In Leon Valley
No. 1-8
NonyaFknB
Allowing them to act like occupiers, giving them symbols, covering for their crimes, sure looks like the state creating a lot of division. I just wonder how bad they will cry when the people start executing them...
Lensman
Leon Valley is going to pay a lot for the Chief's misdeeds.
bwillis
Another Facebook lawyer writing this article.
So if "The flag of the United States shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; and the union of the flag shall be forty-eight stars, white in a blue field." a flag with 7 black, 5 white and 1 blue with white stars on a black field is therefore not a United States flag.
I'll bet you're OK with your boyfriend's rainbow flag....
stormytexas
Seems to me that Leon Valley is not even near the District of Columbia...
Shooter218
You are lucky it wasn't me making the arrest. Blocking the entrance I wouldn't have waited for the woman to come in, B/S charge to begin with. Me I would have charged you with Malicious Destruction of Private Property, Disorderly Conduct, Disturbing the Peace, and Arson. As for the Flag Code it is actually not law, and was pretty much tossed by the SJC about 20 years ago. All you law experts are funny as F#$K and don't know squat.
Nutjobs
What is wrong with you guys. Just wanting to start crap. Haven't we got enough craziness going on? We don't give warnings.....sorry, not sorry. You go to their house and act this way. Let them go to your house and act that way, how are you going to react?
RoyC
today_is_the_day
Multiple illegal arrests; we need an independent department in the government to prosecute criminal acts by cops.
WATCH: Maryland Cop Throws 76-year-old Woman to Ground for no Reason
The Baltimore County cops were trying to arrest her granddaughter for cursing at them when they threw her down.
supervisionrequired
WATCH: Florida Cop Tasers Teen on Bicycle who had Popped Wheelie
Body cam footage was released last week showing Orlando police officer Peter Meier tasering a teen on a bicycle.
Texas Cops Refuse to say why they Shot Unarmed Man in Head during Traffic Stop
Michael Dean was killed after being shot in the head by Texas police on his daughter's birthday
Keith Palmer
Chuckster88
WATCH: Award-winning Cop Arrests Musician on "Asshole Charge" for Cursing at him
This video is a textbook example of a typical contempt of cop arrest.
decoder1946
Illinois Cops Taser, then Shoot and Kill Woman Trying to Escape Burning Car
Decynthia Celements was shot twice in the head by an Elgin police officer. Now they say she had cocaine in her system.
Lawfield
WATCH: California Cops Shoot Unarmed 16-year-old Boy in Back of Head
The video was released today as part of a civil suit that is preparing to head to trial.
robertwadra
Enraged Texas Cop Punches and Breaks Elderly Couple's Windshield for no Reason
The state trooper has been suspended and the department offered to repair the windshield.
WATCH: Cop Shoots Dog in Room Full of Kids, hits 9-year-old Girl in the Face
Body cam footage shows a Kansas cop shooting a dog moments after it enters a room full of kids, hitting one in the face.
Paintitblack17
Pennsylvania Cops Arrest Family Twice in 2 Days for Loitering in own Front Yard
Chester Township police said family members cursed at them.
GerryNance
WATCH: Arizona Cop Beats Man Bloody, Own Department Says He Used Excessive Force
Graphic Video: An internal investigation found that a cop used excessive force on a man sleeping in a friend's vehicle
Cornczech


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Hillary Clinton vowed to create 200,000 new jobs in Upstate New York during her time as a senator representing the state, but a new report published Monday found that the Democratic nominee's efforts fell far below projections.
While upstate jobs rose 0.2 percent overall during Clinton's tenure in the Senate, manufacturing jobs fell nearly 25 percent, the Washington Post reported, citing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Analysis of Clinton's first Senate term revealed that Upstate New York actually lost jobs. The Public Policy Institute in Albany studied BLS data and found that between October 2001 and December 2006, Upstate New York lost more than 31,000 payroll jobs.
Clinton was reelected for her second term in November 2006 before leaving the Senate in January 2009 to become secretary of state.
The former first lady was unable to pass the big-ticket legislation she introduced to benefit the upstate economy. She turned to smaller-scale projects, but some of those fell flat after initial glowing headlines … Many promised jobs never materialized and others migrated to other states as she turned to her first presidential run, said former officials who worked with her in New York … In March 2001, she introduced seven bills to stimulate the upstate economy–"part of a larger partnership to spur job creation across our country,'' Clinton said. None of the measures passed, records show.
The new report from the Post could cast a shadow over the Clinton campaign's focus on her time in the Senate, when she vowed to revive a depressed Upstate New York.


After 25 years, the Explorer goes Platinum.
The Explorer is a big deal. And not just to Ford. It was the first mainstream SUV and as it navigated the ever-evolving automotive landscape over the last 25 years, it has been sold seven million times. That's a lot of Explorers!
Ford decided to do something special for the Explorer's 25th anniversary. And to check it out, I got to "Explore More" in British Columbia – in the new Ford Explorer Platinum. The Explorer's trim levels used to top out with the Limited, but for this model year, Ford has added the Platinum as the new pinnacle of the line-up.
The best way to explain it is that Ford took the best of the loaded-up Limited trim and the best of the surprisingly capable Sport trim, combined it and then cranked it up a notch to make up their new top-of-the-line package.
While the Explorer obviously retains the same platform and exterior styling, the Platinum does get some special touches. Perhaps the most noticeable is the all-new grille – handsome and slightly aggressive, it's surrounded by restyled lights. All the chrome details on the Platinum are satin and while there's quite a bit of it (grille, door handles, sills, roof rails and rear fascia trim), it never gets too blingy. The muscular-looking integrated exhaust tips are new, and both front and rear fascias get skid plates to visually reassure the buyer that they are in fact getting a serious SUV. And yes, those sweet 20-inch rims are Platinum-specific and do a pretty good job of looking classy, rugged and sporty all at the same time. Which, I'm guessing, is exactly what Ford is hoping for.
If you've been in a current Explorer, the interior will feel familiar, but again, the Platinum kicks things up a notch with some new upscale features. Fit and finish appears to be world-class, and many of the materials are really upper crust. Fancy-shmancy details like a leather-wrapped dash, a heated steering wheel, real ash wood accents, dual-pane sunroof and a digital instrument panel are nice, as are the gorgeous leather seats. In the front they're heated, cooled, vastly adjustable and offer a massage function and I found them to be tremendously comfortable – even after nearly 10 hours on the road.
Want tech? The Explorer Platinum has it all. And then some. Smart-charging USB plugs that charge your devices twice as quickly. ParkAssist that easily pulls this behemoth into (and out of) parallel and perpendicular parking spots. Adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring and on and on. Oh hey, and how about 180-degree cameras in the front and back – that can be washed with washer fluid? Yes, that's a thing and in Canadian winters, that alone might feel like it's worth the price of admission into the Platinum world.
The easiest way to say it is that the Platinum is fully loaded. Actually there is only one option for the Platinum trim Explorer – you can choose whether you'd like bucket seats or a bench in the second row. That's it. And yes, it comes complete with pricing that puts is square into luxury brand territory.
The second row wasn't cramped before, but repackaging things has allowed Ford to increase the knee room here by 1.5 inches. Head room has always been plentiful in the Explorer. The seats slide fore and aft, recline and are heated – and there are plenty of power ports, including USB and a 110V household plug.
The two seats in the third row are usable for adults, but the wealth of head room doesn't make up for the lack of both knee room and space for your feet. It's great for kids though.
The sizable trunk, which you can open from the dash, your key fob or using the cool Hands-free feature, leaves enough room for several carry-on sized bags even when the third row is in use. Fold the third row down and you're looking at 1243 litres of cargo space.
The Explorer Sport always had the upper hand on the road, where its sweet 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 unleashed 365 horsepower and its road-wrinkling 350 lb.ft of torque put it into a category of its own. Not any more. Because the Platinum gets this engine too.
All that power doesn't come cheaply, of course. The fuel economy isn't stellar, but then again, nobody buys an SUV with three rows and this much power and expects a fuel miser. Ford rates it at 14.9 L/100 km (16 US mpg) in the city and 10.7 L/100 km (22 US mpg) on the highway. I've come to expect EcoBoost fuel ratings to be hilariously optimistic but was very impressed by our 11 L/100 km (21 US mpg) average over 450 km of mostly highway driving. How can that be impressive? Well, let me tell you about our trip and you'll see.
Ford put together a fantastic event for the Explorer Platinum, and framed it with the hashtag #ExploreMore. Their thinking was that we should explore more of what we wanted to explore. Instead of the typically structured and scheduled-to-the-last-minute please-ensure-you-arrive-at-2:17PM-so-you-can-catch-the-shuttle-to-the-5:00PM-dinner itinerary, our trip was left up to us. I mean there wasn't a single thing we had to do, not a single checkpoint we had to arrive at, and everything between our Vancouver starting point and our Kamloops destination was left up to us. There were 25 suggested things to check out along the way. You could try to see them all, you could ignore all of them, or pick and choose what tickled your fancy. What a cool way to do a trip! Best of all, we got to check out the incredibly lush forests, soaring views of fjords, bays and inlets, mountains, cliffs, hair-raising switchbacks, truly unbelievable altitude changes, and even semi-arid desert terrain all at our own pace. I've never enjoyed this much time behind the wheel of a vehicle at a first drive press event, and perhaps that's what impressed me most of all – time to actually get a feel for the vehicle.
I dropped by the Vancouver waterfront where I saw the famous Pixel Whale right next to the Olympic Torch, watched a few seaplanes take off and land and checked out the Disney Wonder cruise ship that was docked. Then I headed off onto the incredible Sea to Sky Highway. It doesn't matter how many times I've driven it, it's still a magic stretch of road to me, and as I do every time I'm there, I stopped at the Galileo Coffee Company to see some friendly smiles and to pick up a hot cup of brew and a freshly-roasted pound of beans to take home.
I loved the smooth, linear power of the engine as I headed up some of those steep inclines into the mountains – it accelerates with gusto from a stop, cruises along happily on the highway and explodes into something of an action hero when you put the hammer down, making passing a quick and painless move – at any speed. Ford's 6-speed automatic is decent. It's not particularly quick, but it's quick enough, intelligent and very smooth. That's perfectly fine for a vehicle in this category, although another cog or two would certainly make a difference in the Explorer's fuel economy.
I decided to make my next stop the stunning Shannon Falls, which are so high, they're impossible to photograph from the base. The balance between nature's thundering power and the tranquility of watching the water at the falls' base flow over rocks and fallen trees makes this short hike a worthy investment for anyone driving by.
Ford claims this is the quietest Explorer ever, and I don't doubt that. Even at highway speeds exceeding 120 km/h, there was barely a rush of wind noise and only occasionally, on rougher surfaces, did I hear some very mild road noise. All of this is great, because it allows you to enjoy the outstanding Platinum-specific 12-speaker 500-watt Sony sound system in peace. We were able to check it out at our leisure on the drive, but the demo we got from the Sony rep Tony (how awesome is that?) was mind-blowing. One of the best systems I've heard, and even at nearly full volume, nary a rattle was to be heard in the interior. That's always one of my tests, and I found this reassuring when it comes to the Explorer's build quality.
My next checkpoint was Whistler, where I explored the Village and its shops, and stopped in at Cow's for a couple of scoops of their famous ice cream. Then it was back onto the highway to Pemberton, a beautiful little town nestled into a valley. I found my favourite bakery in town, the Blackbird Bakery, and picked up some critical life-sustaining calories disguised as a fresh blueberry strudel. The serene location lulls you into thinking you're done with the crazy driving. But you're not.
From Pemberton, Highway 99 takes an insane turn, blending an endless ribbon of winding road that combines eye-watering 13% grades up and down mountains, dangerous 180-degree corners (with poor visibility at times) to make for a white-knuckled but pure and totally immersive driving experience. Best enjoyed in a sports car? Definitely. But the Explorer Platinum continued to impress here, with a very well balanced suspension and competent traction – which was handy as it poured rain all day long. The 2218 kg (4890 lb) behemoth took to curves like a champ, feeling more connected and competent than lighter, pricier SUVs with adaptive suspension. Yet the ride remained supple and comfortable, never allowing bumps or road irregularities to come through to the cabin. Along the way to Lillooet you'll pass two stunning features – Duffy Lake, where the boat launch (a simple gravel incline into the lake) serves as one of the finest backdrops for automotive photography in western Canada, and the Seton Lake Reservoir, where your view is framed by the mountains sliding directly into the water on either side, and if you're lucky enough, you'll see a train snaking its way along the north shore, stuck between the ice cold waters and the mountainside plunging down next to it.
The final stretch, from Lillooet to Kamloops, continues the theme – an endless series of curves, elevation changes and throws in freaky things like single-lane bridges. And it rewards you with an infinite number of vistas over the Fraser River valley, as you traverse the suddenly dry almost desert-like terrain, dotted with sparse forests and sometimes nothing more than scrub brush.
At the end, you're rewarded by a drop into another massive valley and into Kamloops, one of the hottest, driest places in Canada. Looking back at the route I drove, it is certainly not for the faint of heart nor the weak of stomach, but I enjoyed every mile of it. And the Explorer Platinum kept up with everything this writer explored.
As you can see, I had reason to celebrate the Explorer's fuel economy after a day of this kind of mountain driving.
The Explorer does have a rotary Terrain Management controller, allowing you to choose between normal, sand, snow or mud modes, as well as a hill-descent mode. While I did go off the beaten path, driving through some shrubbery and a deep ditch on barely muddy roads and gravel doesn't count for off-roading so I can't truly say I tested its ruggedness. Need to tow? It'll lug up to 5000 pounds.
The Explorer Platinum is a nicely styled SUV, that comes as loaded as possible, boasting the best that Ford offers in the luxury, performance, technology and safety departments. If that's what you're after, and you're willing to pay for it, you'll end up with a credible, authentic and capable SUV – the best version yet of the one that started it all 25 years ago.


text:
A History of Slavery from Ancient to Modern Times
In 2019 there were an estimated 40 million people worldwide subject to some form of slavery, 25%...
Emma Southon on the True Crime Stories of Ancient Rome
Few other societies have reveled in and revered the deliberate and purposeful killing of men and women...
Elves and Dwarves in Medieval Norse Mythology
For pagan Northmen, elves, dwarves, and other mystical beings were very real. By Irene Manea Introduction Elves...
Meli: Sacred Cakes in Ancient Greece
We find a vast range of their artistic representations in frescos, vase paintings, and sculptures. Introduction Sacred...
The Invention of the First Coinage in Ancient Lydia
In approximately 630 BCE, someone in the Anatolian kingdom of Lydia stamped a piece of precious metal....
The Hellenistic and Roman Agora of Ancient Athens
This agora was destroyed by invasions by the Germanic Heruli and Visigoths in 267 CE and 396...
Pliny the Younger: An Outsider's View of Early Christianity in the Roman Empire
Pliny's letter to Trajan is significant as one of the earliest descriptions of the Christian movement from...
Agrippina the Younger: Her Rise and Fall with Nero in Ancient Rome
The power and influence Agrippina had reached were unprecedented for a woman in ancient Rome. By Giacomo...
Cleopatra Selene II: Daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony
Cleopatra Selene II and her twin brother, Alexander Helios, were the children of Cleopatra and the Roman...
Aspasia of Miletus: A Great Mind in Ancient Greece
Ancient writers from Aristophanes to Plato to Plutarch reference her eloquence and power in a world controlled...
Hesiod and 'Pandora's Box' in Ancient Greek Literature
Pandora opened a jar left in her care containing sickness, death and many other unspecified evils which...
Prometheus, Imparting Knowledge, and the Anger of Zeus
Introduction In Greek mythology, Prometheus, possibly meaning "forethought")[1] is a Titan god of fire.[2] Prometheus is credited with the creation of humanity from...
Military Roads: A Visitor's Guide to Ancient Rome's Frontier in Germany
The Romans extended their control into German territory and developed a nearly unbroken line of fortifications over...
Medicinal Plants of the Ancient Holy Land
Using modern interpretations of ancient Hebrew, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian sources to determine plant species and uses. Introduction...
The Terracotta Warriors of Ancient China's First Emperor
Every figure seems to depict a unique individual, with different shapes of tunics, features, and hairstyles. Who...
Poison or Cure? Ancient Chinese Medicine in Context
Traditional Chinese medicine shows that there's more to healing than using the right chemical. Introduction Poisons today...
Investigating the Healing Arts of Ancient Mesopotamia
This cuneiform literature provides evidence that ancient practitioners were competent in curing diseases or complaints. Introduction Barbara...
Art History and Anatomy: What's So Funny about Ancient Greek Phalluses?
One of Dionysos's symbols was a phallus, and an oversized version was carried by a "phallus-bearer" in...
Meet the Ancient Greek Portrait Mummy of Herakleides
An online exhibition explores the identity of a 2000-year-old mummified man. By Sara E. Cole, Marie Svoboda,...
From Scythians To Goths: Russian Looting of Ancient Crimean Antiquities
Ukrainian authorities are now unable to monitor archaeological work at ancient Tauric Chersonesos by the Black Sea....
How Ancient Shark Teeth Recorded Earth's Climate History
These giant predators are helping solve the mystery of Earth's cooling shift some 50 million years ago....
Agoge: The Education System in Ancient Sparta
The agoge was at its height during the Classical Period and was praised as the ideal form...
Geometric Art in Ancient Greece
Geometric Greece experienced a cultural revival of its historical past through epic poetry and the visual arts....
Pericles and the Restoration of the Ancient Athenian Agora
His vision transformed a ruin into a thriving cultural center. Introduction The agora of Athens developed from the 6th century BCE...
Infrastructure, Ancient Rome, and 'Limits to Growth'
Romans financed their expansion and government operations using the resources taken from vanquished territories. By Kurt CobbResource...
The Emergence of Villages in Ancient and Early Medieval Europe
The ancient and medieval village represented a new stage of the world's oldest civilized society. By Frances...
Reading Like a Roman: 'Vergilius Vaticanus' and the Puzzle of Ancient Book Culture
Exploring Graeco-Roman reading culture through one of its best-preserved and most lavishly-illustrated artefacts. This article, Reading Like...
Thoth: Ancient Egyptian God of Wisdom and Writing
Worship of Thoth began in Lower Egypt most likely in the Pre-Dynastic Period (c. 6000-3150 BCE). Introduction...
The Antikythera Shipwreck in the Ancient Hellenistic Mediterranean
The discovery has served to enhance our understanding of this fleeting moment of ancient Mediterranean history. Introduction...
While they weren't living through a pandemic, citizens of ancient Pompeii weren't strangers to societal stress. Introduction...


Nuclear and cytoplasmic expression in several tissues, most abundant in glandular and stroma cells.
Most cancer tissues were negative or weakly stained. Moderate to strong cytoplasmic positivity was observed in colorectal cancers and melanomas while several cases of testicular, urothelial and pancreatic cancers were moderately positive.


text:
Q: free reports bogus amount of swap used The swap used reported by free is very high.
[root@rhel6 ~]# free -m
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:          9892       9537        354          0         71        884
-/+ buffers/cache:       8581       1310
Swap:          767 1759218592     116869

Like, really high.
[root@bb14 blackboard]# free -g|grep Swap
Swap:            0 1717986906        114

Or is it?
[root@bb14 blackboard]# free -h |grep Swap
Swap:         767M       767M       114G

Even more strange, even if I disable swap the number still stays high.
[root@rhel6 ~]# swapoff -a
[root@rhel6 ~]# free -m
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:          9892       9760        131          0         45        638
-/+ buffers/cache:       9076        815
Swap:            0 1759218592     116814

Things don't get any less confusing when checking meminfo, which shows swapfree higher than swaptotal.
[root@rhel6 ~]# cat /proc/meminfo|grep Swap
SwapCached:            0 kB
SwapTotal:        786428 kB
SwapFree:       120404008 kB

Obviously something is wonky and my first instinct is to reboot, but this is a production machine which means maintenance windows, etc, and I'm wondering if there's any way to find out what's wrong and possibly even fix it without downtime.

A: The solution was to Upgrade to kernel-2.6.32-573.7.1.el6 or higher.
A simple yum update and reboot should be all it takes.
Below is a quote of the bug report of kernel-2.6.32-573.1.1.el6.x86_64 that caused the Swap free to be greater than the swap total:

A previous change in the get_swap_page() locking removed the use of
  the swap_lock spinlock. This could cause nr_swap_pages corruption and
  invalid SwapFree information in the /proc/meminfo file, where the size
  of SwapFree could exceed the size of SwapTotal. This update uses an
  atomic variable for nr_swap_pages, and the size of SwapFree in
  /proc/meminfo is now correct. (BZ#1259362)

A: It looks like this is a known issue in RHEL6.7 with kernel-2.6.32-573.1.1.el6.x86_64 being tracked in their private bugzilla.
https://access.redhat.com/solutions/1571043

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: change mysql stored procedure to accept mysql field? I found the below procedure and have edited it a bit - trying to figure out how i can set variable str to a query result 'tags' --(Select tags from Post where id > 3) so I can create the temp table from its contents... nothing I do seems to help.
BEGIN

  DECLARE a INT Default 0 ;
  DECLARE str VARCHAR(255);

  simple_loop: LOOP
     SET a=a+1;
     SET str=SPLIT_STR(fullstr,",",a);
     IF str='' THEN
        LEAVE simple_loop;
     END IF;

     insert into Tmp values (str);

   END LOOP simple_loop;
 END

A: Select Into statement will do that.
BEGIN

  DECLARE a INT Default 0 ;
  DECLARE str VARCHAR(255);

  simple_loop: LOOP
     SET a=a+1;
     Select tags into str from Post where id > 3;
     SET str=SPLIT_STR(str,",",a);
     IF str='' THEN
       LEAVE simple_loop;
     END IF;

     insert into Tmp values (str);

  END LOOP simple_loop;
END


The savory snacks category is expected to continue its impressive growth trajectory. (Savory packaged food is up 23% from 2011-2016. Source: © Euromonitor International) It's a direct reflection of the Millennial Generation's coming of age and using their purchasing power to support their new eating habits. They snack – 25% of them snack up to 4 times per day1 – and are driving innovation towards adventurous flavors, healthier options, and on-the-go pack sizes.
Our wide range of naturally sourced oil soluble colors helps you meet this demand for both bright innovative colors and natural ingredients for your seasoning mixes or slurries. All colors are based on natural sources such as vegetable and plants. We have a long history assisting manufacturers in their color ingredient conversion strategy from artificial to natural.
Our color range for season mixes and oil slurries includes products in these shades: cold yellow, warm yellow, orange and pink. They can be blended further to achieve shade variations.
Read more about working with naturally sourced oil soluble colors.


text:
The Dallas Institute's Open House Celebration
By	Submitted Event on May 18th, 2011
Where: The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture
2719 Routh St. Dallas, TX 75201 Map
When: Monday, May 23 2011 5:30pm-7:30pm
As part of the yearlong celebration of the organization's 30th year, the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture will hold an Open House to celebrate existing members and new friends. The evening's program, which begins at 6:30 pm, will spotlight special guests and longtime Institute Fellows Judy and Patrick Kelly as they explore what's available to theatre goers this summer, both in Dallas and elsewhere. Former drama professors at the University of Dallas and veterans of the Dallas theater scene, the Kellys will both inform and entertain Open House attendees. In addition, the evening will include drawings for door prizes.
In this 30th anniversary year, the Dallas Institute is thrilled to be welcoming new members to the organization. With its purpose of enriching lives through the wisdom and imagination of the humanities, the Institute offer members the opportunity to discover what the humanities have to offer the cultural life of the city through classes, group studies, seminars, symposiums, conferences, civic involvement, and other programs. Memberships start at $75/year, $50/year for teachers. The Open House is a wonderful way to meet new friends and learn about the incredible programs available to all members of the Dallas Institute.
The Open House is free and open to the public. Reservations are requested. Please call Margaret Illingworth, (214) 871-2440. For more information about The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, visit www.Dallasinstitute.org.
About the Dallas Institute of Humanities & Culture
The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization with a 20-member Board of Directors comprised of community leaders. Created in 1980, The Dallas Institute is a center for creative and intellectual exchange, providing enriching programs for the public that are grounded in the wisdom of the humanities, laying the foundation for Dallas to realize its full potential for cultural excellence. The Dallas Institute is located at 2719 Routh St., Dallas, Texas 75201. For information, call (214) 871-2440, or visit www.DallasInstitute.org.
Categories: Advocacy, Things to do
Tags: the dallas institute
Open House at The Dallas Institute
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PMC Partnership - Certified accountants providing financial services and tax advice to small to large size business in and around Bexley.
Uptown Caterers - Provides outside catering services for weddings, parties and corporate events. Includes sample menus and images.


.... is somethign that I desperately need when it comes to most areas of my life these days.
I had a list of stuff to do today and have achieved very little. I've suffered from severe head aches all week though andit's eased today so taking it a bit easier probably wasn't a bad idea.
I started the border on my Mum's Victoria Shawl today. The first repeat was a bit awkward and I tensed up (and made the excrusiating headache I woke up with worse) but then managed to relax a bit more. I've done 5 repeats. I was worried about how to join the border to the main rectangle but the instructions make so much more sense when the piece of knitting is actually in front of you. Was a lot easier than I thought. And the first time I've done it. So quite pleased with myself.
I'm still a bit worried about the corner but I'm sure that'll work out okay too. Love the look of the shawl with the border. The main rectangle is quite plain and the border really makes this shawl.
Somehow this afternoon I got distracted (lack of discipline again) and started another sock. Had no plans to start another sock as I've got the 2nd of Emily's new sock pair to do and a pair of top secret socks for a magazine submission to get done. But I was rooting through my sock stash earlier and found this skein of Yarn Yard yarn I'd forgotten about so decided to combine it with another skein of Yarn Yard yarn and look at the result. I quite like it. The foot will be random stripes but the cuff will be different. I've got exciting plans for the cuff but not revealing it yet.
Read this post on Grumperina's blog this morning and it inspired me and gave me some ideas. I'd planned to try to owrk out how to do this technique when I started the new Yarn Yard socks but it kind of evolved into a standard toe up sock.
Good to hear that you are getting on with the border OK Anni - and it looks beautiful. Have to agree the border really finishes it off. And thanks for the pictures. I might be tempted to give my pattern a go now.
And the socks, as ever, look wonderful. The colours work really well together, and I've never seen this method before.
Hi! It took a bit to track your blog down but so well worth it! The Victoria lace shawl is stunning and I'm in awe, I've not whacked a border on like that...yet.
Your designs (what I've seen so far) are all beautiful.
Thanks for stopping by the blog, Gretchen really should take the leap and create a blog of her own but until she does I don't mind sharing. She's a very nice woman.
I have your URL now, so I'll be back. Now I'm off to look at your other designs.
Gorgeous shawl!! You're doing an excellent job.
Thank you everyone. I'm so excited about the shawl. Never thought I could do the knit on border. Hoping ot get some more done tonight but that sock is shouting to me.
The shawl is looking so beautiful! I know what you mean about discipline...I need more of that too!
Hope your headaches ease up a lot...and even go away! They are no fun at all. I get migrains now and then and they just put me out of service when they get too bad. Anyway, hope yours go away!