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PGR Naleen Indika Pussella
Department of Remote Sensing and GIS, Faculty of Geomatics, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
Lin Li
School of Resources and Environmental Science and Collaborative Innovation Center of Geo Spatial Technology, Wuhan University
Home > Vol 3, No 2 (2022) > Pussella
Spatio And Temporal Dimensions For The Public Usage Of Urban Green Parks In Colombo, Sri Lanka
PGR Naleen Indika Pussella, Lin Li
Use and accessibility to green parks in urban environments by public is an indicator to measure the psychological and physiological sustainability of dwellers. Identifying the driving forces in selecting a park for leisure and discover the pattern of park usage in Colombo city, Sri Lanka were the main objectives of this study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from three types of respondents: regular park users who use the nearest park from residence, regular park users who don't use the nearest park to the residence and non regular park users. Initially, it was selected 2879 participants for this survey representing village administration of Colombo city limits and the questionnaire was returned by 2328 respondents. However, 12 forms were incomplete status, only 2311 responses were selected for further analysis. These respondents were selected randomly to represent each administrative division by considering the total population of them. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) application was to analyze the characteristics of park users. It was revealed that nearly a half of the respondents do not use parks regularly and identified a number of characteristics of respondents and reasons for usage and non-usage of green parks regularly. Education, employment, age, civil status and accommodation type were identified as driving forces for the use of parks by general public. Safety and environmental factors were identified as the main issues on selecting parks. Study recommends to policy makers to identify these demerits to take immediate actions to popularize parks among public as an urgent requirement in the urban development and planning processes.
Green Parks; Urban; Use and Accessibility.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.36256/ijtl.v3i2.225
Copyright (c) 2022 Indonesian Journal of Tourism and Leisure


Join us On The Patio , Autumn is Here!
Luce's private dining room is available for private and corporate functions. Owner and executive chef Joe Buonincontri will create a menu and wine pairing especially for your event. Sommelier services also available.
To inquire and reserve, please call (210) 561-9700.


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Sevyn Streeter, B.o.B. & More Perform at 12th Annual McDonald's 365Black Awards
August 19th, 2015 by KRNB
Image Courtesy Atlantic Records
Sevyn Streeter and B.o.B. are among the entertainers scheduled to perform during the 12th Annual McDonald's 365Black Awards, an event to salute outstanding achievements of people committed to making positive contributions that strengthen the African-American diaspora.
Organizers have announced the all-star lineup includes showcases from Smokie Norful, Avery*Sunshine, Jonathan McReynolds, Amber Riley, Shanice Wilson, Assassin, and newcomer Andra Day.
Presenters for the upcoming event includes Yolanda Adams, Common, actress Wendy Raquel Robinson, and actor/photographer Lance Gross, among others.
Hosted by KeKe Palmer and Terrence J, the ceremony airs Sunday, August 23 at 9:00 p.m. EDT/8:00 p.m. ET on BET.
"I was honored to host the McDonald's 365Black Awards for the second year alongside KeKe," says Terrence J in a statement. "Any opportunity to shine a positive light on the achievements of our people, I fully support."
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
365Black annual awards B.o.B. mcdonalds perform sevyn streeter
Kanye West plans to meet with Russian President Putin and perform Sunday Service Read More
2022 Grammy Awards are officially postponed because of COVID-19 Read More
LL Cool J & Chloe will no longer perform on ABC's 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' Read More

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Colorado Court of Appeals issued its opinion in Farmer v. Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission on Thursday, August 25, 2016.
Big Game Hunter—Suspension of Wildlife License—Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission—Agency Standards—Arbitrary and Capricious.
Farmer is a big game hunter and guide. After allowing his Colorado outfitter's license to lapse, Farmer was charged with six counts of illegal sale of big game wildlife for outfitting mountain lion hunts without the proper license. Farmer pleaded guilty to one count. Pursuant to CRS § 33-6-113(2)(a), his guilty plea triggered an administrative hearing by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) to determine whether to suspend Farmer's wildlife license privileges. After a hearing, Farmer's hunting license was suspended for 20 years. Farmer initiated this action for review of the Commission's decision, and the district court affirmed.
On appeal, Farmer contended that he was deprived of due process because neither CRS §§ 33-6-106 and -113 nor any applicable regulations contain sufficient standards to constrain the Commission's discretion in determining the length of his suspension. CRS § 33-6-113(2)(a) merely provides that, upon conviction for the illegal sale of big game, the Commission may suspend "any or all wildlife license privileges of the person for a minimum of one year to life." Because neither the statute nor any applicable regulations provide sufficient standards to guide the Commission's suspension decision, its action in suspending Farmer's license was arbitrary and capricious.
The district court's order was reversed and Farmer's suspension was vacated. Because remanding to the hearing officer would not provide Farmer a complete remedy for the arbitrary and capricious suspension of his license under defective procedures, the Court of Appeals declined to remand for a new hearing.
On March 30, 2016, Reps. Edward Vigil and Sen. Leroy Garcia introduced HB 16-1424 – Concerning Qualifications for the Administration of Medications in Facilities, and, in Connection Therewith, Making an Appropriation. The bill was introduced into the House Health, Insurance, & Environment Committee, where it passed unamended and was referred to Appropriations. The bill was amended in the Appropriations Committee, and again on Second Reading. The bill passed Third Reading with no further amendments and was introduced in the Senate, where it was assigned to the Health & Human Services Committee.
Under current law, the Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHE) oversees the administration of medications in prisons, jails, mental health facilities, and other state facilities. This bill amends the definition of "facility" to include all services funded through and regulated by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (DHCPF), changing from the Department of Human Services (DHS). Current law requires an unlicensed person who is a qualified manager to successfully complete a test pertaining to the administration of medication every four years. This bill eliminates the 4-year testing cycle and substitutes a requirement to successfully complete a competency evaluation pertaining to the administration of medications.
This bill establishes a medication administration program to be developed and conducted by the DHS, DHCPF, and Department of Corrections. The DHCPF shall: (1) establish the minimum requirements for course content, including competency evaluations, for medication administration, and determine compliance with the requirements for licensed facilities; (2) approve, set the minimum requirements for, and maintain a list of training entities for licensed facilities; and (3) publish and maintain a current list of all persons who have passed a competency evaluation from an approved training entity, as well as setting and collecting a uniform fee for inclusion in the public competency listing.
The bill prohibits an unlicensed person from filling and labeling medication reminder boxes until the person has successfully completed a competency evaluation from an approved training entity or has been approved by an authorized agency.
Lastly, the bill appropriates $30,298 to the DPHE, for use by the heath facilities and emergency medical services division, to implement this bill.
The Colorado Court of Appeals issued its opinion in Salazar v. Kubic on Thursday, October 8, 2015.
Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act—Rats and Mice are Pet Animals.
Kubic, doing business as the Willards Rodent Factory, raises and houses more than 200 mice and rats at her facility. The rodents are sold as feed for snakes and other carnivores. Until March 2013, Kubic had a valid license issued under the Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) to operate a "pet animal facility," but she let it expire.
In June 2013, the Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture issued a cease and desist order to Kubic because of the lapsed license. She continued to operate, and the trial court granted the Commissioner's request for a permanent injunction to prevent her from operating without the required PACFA license. The injunction was stayed pending the outcome of this appeal.
Kubic argued that the trial court erred in its interpretation of PACFA's definitions of "pet animal" and "pet animal facility" to require her to be licensed to operate her facility. Specifically, she argued that her mice and rats are not within the PACFA's definition of "pet animal." The Court of Appeals disagreed, holding that the statutory language expressly includes mice and rats. The judgment was affirmed.
On Monday, January 27, 2014, Sen. Linda Newell introduced SB 14-133 – Concerning the Regulation of Private Investigators by the Department of Regulatory Agencies. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association's e-Legislative Report.
Under the current "Private Investigators Voluntary Licensure Act" (voluntary act), a private investigator, at his or her option, may apply for a license from the division of professions and occupations (division) in the department of regulatory agencies and, upon satisfaction of the criteria for licensure, the director of the division is to issue a license to the private investigator. Only a person who obtains a license from the division may refer to himself or herself as a licensed private investigator, but no private investigator is required to be licensed by the division.
The identity or apprehension of persons suspected of crimes or misdemeanors.
Level II private investigator license, which requires the applicant to satisfy the requirements applicable to a level I license and have an amount of verifiable, applicable experience as determined by the director.
All private investigator licensees must pass a fingerprint-based background check.
An agency, and its owner, employee, or independent contractor acting for the agency, that is conducting an investigation of a fire or explosion or an engineer-led investigation for cause analysis and failure analysis.
Licensees are required to post a surety bond in an amount determined by the director by rule. The bill establishes grounds for disciplining licensees, the methods of discipline available to the director, and disciplinary procedure.
The director is authorized to consult with stakeholders to obtain feedback and recommendations concerning the regulation of private investigators and the impacts of new technology on privacy. The director is also granted rule-making authority to implement and administer the act.
The "Private Investigators Licensure Act" and the functions of the director under the act are subject to repeal on Sept. 1, 2020, and prior to the repeal, the department of regulatory agencies is required to conduct a sunset review of the act.
The bill is assigned to the Judiciary Committee; the committee will consider the bill on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 1:30 p.m.
HB 13-1224 – Concerning Prohibiting Large-Capacity Ammunition Magazines, by Rep. Rhonda Fields and Sen. Mary Hodge. Effective July 1, 2013, the bill prohibits manufacture or purchase of any magazine capable of accepting more than 15 rounds of ammunition.
HB 13-1228 – Concerning Requiring the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to Recoup the Cost of Performing an Instant Background Check Prior to the Transfer of a Firearm, and, in Connection Therewith, Making and Reducing an Appropriation, by Rep. Lois Court and Sen. Rollie Heath. The bill allows the CBI to assess a charge for performing instant background checks.
HB 13-1229 – Concerning Criminal Background Checks Performed Pursuant to the Transfer of a Firearm, and in Connection Therewith, Making an Appropriation, by Reps. Rhonda Fields and Beth McCann and Sen. Morgan Carroll. The bill mandates criminal background checks for all transfers of firearms, including those between private parties.
On Friday, February 22, 2013, Sen. Rollie Heath introduced SB 13-192 – Concerning the Ability of Government Agencies to Extend the Time Permitted for Action Based on the Results of Fingerprint-Based Criminal History Record Checks. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association's e-Legislative Report.
In statutes relating to licensing of taxicab drivers and other regulated professions, as well as other statutes, the regulatory agency is given a period of time to issue or deny an operating permit or take other action on the basis of a fingerprint-based criminal history record check through the Colorado bureau of investigation. A recent backlog in processing these record checks has made it difficult for agencies to meet the statutory deadline. The bill allows an agency to extend the statutory time period for action in these situations upon finding that exigent circumstances exist. The bill passed out of the Senate on March 11; it is assigned to the State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee in the House.
Since this summary, the State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee referred the bill, unamended, to the House Committee of the Whole.
On Friday, February 15, 2013, Sen. Irene Aguilar introduced SB 13-180 – Concerning the Continuation of the Regulation of the Practice of Occupational Therapy, and, in Connection Therewith, Requiring Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants to Obtain a License from the Department of Regulatory Agencies, Modifying Provisions Governing the Supervision of Occupational Therapy Assistants, Adding Grounds for Disciplining Licensees, Requiring Licensees to Maintain Professional Competency, and Authorizing Licensees to Enter into Agreements to Limit Practice when Suffering from a Physical or Mental Condition. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association's e-Legislative Report.
The bill implements the recommendations contained in the sunset review and report on the "Occupational Therapy Practice Act" (OTPA) by continuing the OTPA for five years and restoring provisions in the "Colorado Consumer Protection Act" (CCPA) that existed prior to the enactment of the OTPA. The provisions restored in the CCPA establish a deceptive trade practice, and thus trigger CCPA remedies, when a person claims to be an occupational therapist but has not earned the appropriate higher education degree, completed an internship, passed an examination given by a national organization, and obtained certification from a national organization. On March 7, the Health & Human Services Committee amended the bill and sent it to the Appropriations Committee for consideration of the fiscal impact.


For all you chocolate lovers out there Easter has finally arrived and by far has Thornton's arrived in style! Making headway above the rest Thornton's have to offer The Dessert eggs. These include the Eton Mess egg, The caramel Cheesecake egg and the hazelnut Brownie egg.
With Thornton's unique chocolate recipe, these three indulgent dessert eggs, come in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and are individually packed with flavour.
The Carmel Cheesecake has a milk chocolate egg, caramel pieces and thick chunks of fudge, finished with a delicious biscuit crunch.
The Hazelnut brownie has a chunky dark chocolate egg and contains brownie biscuit pieces, crunchy hazelnuts and chewy chocolate fudge.
The Eaton mess egg has a white chocolate shell and is bursting with zingy raspberries and crunchy meringue pieces.
All three eggs are packed with flavour making it the perfect Easter egg gift.


Donald Trump is the presidential candidate that late night television hosts have been absolutely dreaming of. The GOP front-runner is bombastic, highly quotable, and has provided enough material to fill an entire season of talk shows. Ever since announcing his candidacy in June, the Donald has provided incredible fodder for the likes of Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and more. What the country's truly looking forward to, however, is the candidate's appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night. And the best late night jokes about Donald Trump are the ultimate way to pregame before his appearance.
For his part, Trump has been an incredibly game participant and hasn't called out a single evening program for unfairly portraying him. He's even made a late night appearance and was interviewed by Fallon on The Tonight Show. Fallon assumed his role as Trump impersonator and pretended to have the Donald interview himself. The two also sat down for a traditional Q&A as well. Even then, Trump was jovial. Away from a late night set, the real estate mogul is a whole other person, issuing angry tweets and making baseless claims about everything from immigration to foreign policy. That has somehow positioned Trump as the top GOP candidate currently with 23 percent popularity, according to a poll commissioned by Hot Air and Townhall Media Group.
Pro: Seeing Trump move into the White House. Con: Seeing him try to flip it for twice its value.
Riding down an escalator is not the most presidential way to make an entrance. Are you going to make a speech or are you going to baggage claim?
A border wall could not be simpler. Just build a 95 story building and knock it over 10,000 times. Then you keep the Mexicans out with a doorman.
Pro: hearing his plan on how to prevent our biggest threat from invading the U.S. Con: realizing he's talking about Minions.
That's how you can tell who people really are: the hat. That's why you know the creepy guy on the beach is a real female body inspector. ... If you [other candidates] want to have any hope of ever catching up with Donald Trump, I am strongly advising you to explain your campaigns using only headgear.
He's probably on a Bluetooth — excuse me, a gold tooth — but what is he doing when he's on these calls. Is he standing in front of a wall of TVs waiting for someone to mention his name? Is he putting golf balls into one of those Sharper Image things that shoots the golf ball back? Is he lying face down in a massage table while two women hit him in the back with bamboo sticks?
That doesn't sound like the thoughtful, gentle, mild-mannered Donald Trump I know. I can't even imagine him using that word.


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ACLU Attorney Objects to Settlement Characterization
WMOT | By AP/WMOT
Published December 9, 2011 at 11:47 AM CST
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) WMOT News told you yesterday about the American Civil Liberties Union and the Sumner County Board of Education settling a law suit claiming the system was promoting Christianity.
In a consent decree announced earlier this week schools officials agreed to a long list of changes. However, David French, the attorney who represented the school system in the case, downplayed the scope of those changes when he spoke with WMOT.
"It's not giving up things that they'd previously done except for some minor changes in the use of religious facilities and some minor changes to a lunch room visitation policy."
Attorney George Barrett, who represented the ACLU in the case, objected to that characterization when he spoke with WMOT.
"Well, I respectfully disagree. What I think that the school board has admitted, is that it has in effect violated the First Amendment rights of all the students by taking a particular religious idea, or sect, and espousing that as above all others being something desirable that everybody should have."
Barrett says he believes Sumner County Schools will honor the consent decree, but also says students and parents involved in the case will let him know if problems persist.
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text:
Patents 101
Patent Process
Nonprovisional Patent Application (NPA)
Provisional Patent Application (PPA)
Foreign Patents
Freedom To Operate (FTO) Analysis
Trademarks 101
Federal Trademark Application
Foreign Trademark Rights
Jay R. Hamilton
Charles A. Damschen
What is a patent?
A patent is a government granted right to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing the patented material. The owner of the patent is the only person with the right to enforce the patent against any alleged infringer.
What is the process for obtaining a patent?
First, a patent application must be filed with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (PTO). The PTO then examines the application to assess whether a patent should issue. If the PTO's determination is in the negative, the PTO will issue an Office action and allow the applicant an opportunity to present reasons as to why a patent should issue, or amend the application to overcome a rejection. This process may go back and forth several times, with the PTO issuing multiple Office actions and the applicant responding to each. Typically, a patent will not issue before eighteen months after filing, and some patent applications may be pending before the PTO for as long as five years.
Can I patent my idea?
Things eligible for patent protection include processes, machines, methods of manufacture, compositions of matter, or improvements thereof. To be patentable, an invention must be novel, useful, and non-obvious. In general the novel requirement means the invention must not be known to others in the U.S. or described in any publication throughout the world. The non-obvious requirement generally means that when the invention was made, it must not have been an obvious combination of things already known to a person skilled in that field. If the PTO rejects a patent application, most often it is based on the novel and/or non-obvious requirements.
Are there different types of patents?
Patents may be classified into three main types: (1) plant patents; (2) utility patents; and, (3) design patents. Most inventors seek utility patents because they generally provide the broadest protection since they cover the functionality of the invention, the way it works or is used. Plant patents cover invention or discovery of a distinct and new variety of plant. Design patents cover only the ornamental appearance of an invention, not the way the invention works or is used.
What is the difference between provisional and nonprovisional patent applications?
Provisional patent applications do not include claims and are not examined by the PTO. Accordingly, a provisional patent application can not mature into an issued patent. A nonprovisional patent application includes claims, is examined by the PTO, and may mature into an issued patent. Nonprovisional utility patent applications may claim priority from (i.e., get the filing date of) a provisional patent application for the same invention if the statutory requirements are met.
How long does a patent last?
A provisional patent application lasts for one year from the date of filing. Plant and utility patents last for twenty years from the date of filing, Design patents last for fourteen years from the date of issuance.
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
U.S. Copyright Office
Illinois State Bar Association - IP Section
Iowa Intellectual Property Law Association
About Hamilton IP Law
Your patent and trademark Attorney firm in Davenport and Iowa City, Iowa, and Lake Forest, Illinois.
Hamilton IP Law is a dedicated Intellectual Property Boutique firm with offices in Davenport and Iowa City, Iowa, and Lake Forest, Illinois, primarily serving Eastern Iowa and Northern Illinois. With patent, trademark, copyright, trade secrets, IP litigation, and commercialization clients throughout North America, Hamilton IP Law's attorneys are dedicated exclusively to Intellectual Property matters. The attorneys at Hamilton IP Law have years of experience securing patents, trademarks, and copyrights for a broad range of clients, as well as supporting commercialization efforts. Our creative approach to building, maintaining, and enforcing an intellectual property portfolio centering on commercial viability will allow your company to Own The Market®.
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			self.setQuery(self.stringQueries ? query : dojo.fromJson(query));
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		contentPane.containerNode.appendChild(document.createElement("span")).innerHTML = "   ";
		var createNewButton = addButton("Create New", dojo.hitch(this, "createNew"));
		var deleteButton = addButton("Delete",function(){
			var items = grid.selection.getSelected();
			for(var i = 0; i < items.length; i++){
				self.store.deleteItem(items[i]);
			}
		});
		this.setItemName = function(name){
			createNewButton.attr('label',"<img style='width:12px; height:12px' src='" + dojo.moduleUrl("dijit.themes.tundra.images","dndCopy.png") + "' /> Create New " + name);
			deleteButton.attr('label',"Delete " + name);
		};
		addButton("Save",function(){
			self.store.save({onError:function(error){
				alert(error);
			}});
			//refresh the tree
			self.tree.refreshItem();
		});
		addButton("Revert",function(){
			self.store.revert();
		});
		addButton("Add Column", function(){
			var columnName = prompt("Enter column name:","property");
			if(columnName){
				self.gridLayout.push({
						field: columnName,
						name: columnName,
						formatter: dojo.hitch(self,"_formatCell"),
						editable: true
					});
				self.grid.attr("structure",self.gridLayout);
			}
		});
		var centerCP = new dijit.layout.ContentPane({
			region:'center'
		}).placeAt(this);
		var grid = this.grid = new dojox.grid.DataGrid(
				{store: this.store}
			);
		centerCP.attr("content", grid);
		grid.canEdit = function(inCell, inRowIndex){
			var value = this._copyAttr(inRowIndex, inCell.field);
			return !(value && typeof value == 'object') || value instanceof Date;
		}

		var trailingCP = new dijit.layout.ContentPane({
			region: 'trailing',
			splitter: true,
			style: "width: 300px"
		}).placeAt(this);

		var tree = this.tree = new dojox.data.ItemExplorer({
			store: this.store}
			);
		trailingCP.attr("content", tree);

		dojo.connect(grid, "onCellClick", function(){
			var selected = grid.selection.getSelected()[0];
			tree.setItem(selected);
		});

		this.gridOnFetchComplete = grid._onFetchComplete;
		this.setStore(this.store);
	},
	setQuery: function(query, options){
		this.grid.setQuery(query, options);
	},
	_formatCell: function(value){
		if(this.store.isItem(value)){
			return this.store.getLabel(value) || this.store.getIdentity(value);
		}
		return value;
	},
	setStore: function(store){
		this.store = store;
		var self = this;
		var grid = this.grid;
		grid._pending_requests[0] = false;
		function formatCell(value){
			return self._formatCell(value);
		}
		var defaultOnComplete = this.gridOnFetchComplete;
		grid._onFetchComplete = function(items, req){
			var layout = self.gridLayout = [];
			var column, key, item, i, j, k, idAttributes = store.getIdentityAttributes();
			for(i = 0; i < idAttributes.length; i++){
				key = idAttributes[i];
				layout.push({
					field: key,
					name: key,
					_score: 100,
					formatter: formatCell,
					editable: false
				});

			}
			for(i=0; item = items[i++];){
				var keys = store.getAttributes(item);
				for(k=0; key = keys[k++];){
					var found = false;
					for(j=0; column = layout[j++];){
						if(column.field == key){
							column._score++;
							found = true;
							break;
						}
					}
					if(!found){
						layout.push({
							field: key,
							name: key,
							_score: 1,
							formatter: formatCell,
							styles: "white-space:nowrap; ",
							editable: true
						});
					}
				}
			}
			layout = layout.sort(function(a, b){
				return  b._score - a._score;
			});
			if(!self.showAllColumns){
				for(j=0; column=layout[j]; j++){
					if(column._score < items.length/40 * j) {
						layout.splice(j, layout.length-j);
						break;
					}
				}
			}
			for(j=0; column = layout[j++];){
				column.width=self.columnWidth || Math.round(100/layout.length) + '%';
			}
			grid._onFetchComplete = defaultOnComplete;
			grid.attr("structure",layout);
			var retValue = defaultOnComplete.apply(this, arguments);

		}
		grid.setStore(store);
		this.queryOptions = {cache:true};
		this.tree.setStore(store);
	},
	createNew: function(){
		var props = prompt("Enter any properties (in JSON literal form) to put in the new item (passed to the newItem constructor):","{ }");
		if(props){
			try{
				this.store.newItem(dojo.fromJson(props));
			}catch(e){
				alert(e);
			}

		}
	}
});

});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Palestinian Ministry of Labour yesterday launched a job creation programme which will employ 5,000 unemployed between 18 and 34 years within three years, Safa news agency reported.
The $17 million programme, called "Gaza Emergency – Money for Work", is funded by the World Bank and carried out by Palestinian NGOs in cooperation with the labour, financial and social welfare ministries.
Labour Minister Mamoun Abu-Shahla said it is funded by the World Bank because of the increasing poverty and unemployment rate in Gaza, which were a direct outcome of the Israeli siege.
He cited information from the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics pointing out that there are 400,000 unemployed Palestinians, including 220,000 in the Gaza Strip, in addition to the 320,000 families living under the poverty line.
Gaza has been under a strict Israeli siege for more than 12 years causing the unemployment rate among its university graduates to reach 53 per cent.


Food on canvas in the Late Renaissance /Baroque painting: recipe, master class and lively painting reproduction.
Late Renaissance / Baroque painting and connection to food items (categorization and confection).
The knowledge of the Renaissance / Baroque painting features, the stone soup tale and the recipe of the dish.
After the analysis of the painting "The Bean Eater" by Carracci and the video with the stone soup tale, the students write down the recipe of the soup and get ready to cook it.
Collective conception of the soup filmed as a master class video.
Creation of several lively reproductions of the painting .
Participation in: the analysis of the painting / the search for the soup recipe / the purchase of ingredients / the collective master class video and the lively painting reproduction.
Which type of food is depicted in the painting (colours, textures, forms) and what does it tell us about the figure's social status?
Are these features present in the lively painting reproduction?


The two largest smartphone makers in the world supply a majority of their own modem chips to help their devices connect to wireless data networks, according to evidence presented at an antitrust trial for chip supplier Qualcomm.
A trial between the US Federal Trade Commission and Qualcomm kicked off in a federal courtroom in California on Friday, with the regulators arguing that Qualcomm engaged in anti-competitive patent licensing practices to preserve a monopoly on modem chips. The case is being closely watched because it may shed light on the likely eventual outcome of the global legal battle between Apple and Qualcomm.
During opening arguments, Van Nest's presentation said that Huawei internally sources 54 percent of the modem chips it puts in its devices and gets only 22 percent of its modems from Qualcomm, with the remainder coming from other unnamed makers. Samsung internally sources 52 percent of the modem chips it uses, with 38 percent from Qualcomm and the rest from other makers, according to the presentation.
Huawei and Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Also, the FTC's case centres not on the overall modem chip market – which includes slower chips that go into cheaper handsets – but rather the market for speedy "premium" chips where Qualcomm is among the only options.
Huawei and Samsung are both large diversified technology corporations that make many other products aside from premium-priced smartphones. Huawei's HiSilicon unit supplies the chips for its high-end phones such as its Mate and P series. Samsung's chip division supplies processors and other components for many of its handsets and is also a dominant global supplier of memory chips beyond its own products.
The two firms are also Apple's fiercest rivals in the market for premium smartphones costing $700 or more. Apple depends entirely on Intel Corp and Qualcomm for modem chips, though the iPhones released in 2018 use Intel modems exclusively.
Technology news publication The Information last month reported that Apple was designing its own modem chip, citing Apple job listings and a source briefed on Apple's plans. Apple declined to comment on its plans.
For the second quarter of 2018 – the most recent figures available from IDC – Apple was the third-largest smartphone supplier by volume, with Samsung and Huawei in first and second place, respectively.


If you want to flash your teeth with a smile, then the best thing you can do, is to upgrade your manual brush to the electronic toothbrush.
Nowadays, Dentists recommend an electronic toothbrush for the various reasons, as they are more effective at removing plaque and stains than manual brushes. Also, help you to polish up your teeth making them brighter white to keep your mouth fresh and happier. However, electronic toothbrushes are more expensive as compared to manual brushes. But it is a worthwhile investment, as they play an important role to keep your teeth healthier for the following reasons.
An electronic toothbrush can do faster brushing as compared to a manual brush to keep your teeth and tongue cleaner and healthier.
An electronic toothbrush can work easily for deep cleaning and the most important part, it does the work for you.
An electronic toothbrush is a great way to fight against gum diseases and gingivitis with painless cleaning.
As they can remove stains and debris between gaps, that is why electronic toothbrush can help you to get rid of bad breath as well.
Brush head – The first thing we should see is the brush design. How it is good for our teeth and whether it takes care of our gum or not. The plaque removal capability with different features of brush head should be considered before buying.
Design – The design of the toothbrush plays an utmost important role. So before buying, we should see if it works well with the interior mouth and reaches every corner easily.
Battery Life – Having good battery life is a must for every electronic component. Nobody likes to outrun of battery in the middle of something. Especially electronic toothbrush should last long enough to work perfectly for a week or two before it needs charging again. The replaceable battery will be a good option for the long life of electronic toothbrush.
Battery Indicator Light – It is very useful feature. It indicates you with light when charging is required or complete.
Multiple Brush Modes – Some brushes comes with a gentle mode for sensitive teeth, along with quick clean, high-speed, polishing, and gum massage modes.
Pressure Sensor – It prevents recession of the gums by turning off if you apply too much pressure.
Timer – Using timer option, brush shuts off after the idle brushing time of 2 minutes or sounds an alarm. Some models also include reminders to move the brush around the mouth.
Travel Storage Case / Charger – To increase portability, Small case will be useful to protect toothbrush. Multiple voltage chargers may require for international travel.
Now let's get to know the top 9 electronic toothbrushes.
The premium edition of the product from Philips comes with a quad pacer which ensures you move the brush throughout all the sections of the mouth. It beeps exactly every 30 seconds indicating that now you have to move the brush to the next respective position. This is a new smart feature which enables you to brush exactly 2 minutes which is termed to be the idle time of brushing by dentists. This special package includes two sets of handles, three brush heads, and two chargers to ensure you don't have to depend on the other for charging. The brush head is angled providing perfect cleaning of the teeth also it is slim to reach every part of the mouth where previously traditional brushes were unable to clean. It has an additional massage mode for keeping the gums healthy. The smart brush gradually increases the speed for proper cleaning and is soft on gums and teeth. It completely removes tobacco stains, coffee stains and plaque from teeth making it cleaner and whiter.
This smart brush as the name says is smarter than other brushes as it has the amazing Bluetooth connectivity features which are connected to you mobile and it sends regular feedback with each use. The brush head includes floss action feature which ensures cleaner and healthier gum and teeth. The gentle modes present in it remove dirt right from the gum-line like no other brush would do. It has a pressure sensing technique which lit up automatically if it detects over-brushing and warns immediately. The system has 5 modes that are: Daily clean, gum care, Sensitive, whitening and Deep clean which gives the user the freedom to choose between these modes without manually controlling it. It has 3D action cleaning feature which oscillates, rotate and pulsates and it helps in breaking more plaque stick to the gum-line and removes them gently. Bluetooth-connected smart features provides real-time feedback on any harsh actions and it keeps a daily database and behavior on the Smartphone connected. The bristles are micropulse zigzag in nature which reaches the place where traditional brush won't reach.
This product is new to the market and has already placed itself in the category of 'Amazon bestseller'. Making a best seller itself means its trending tremendously and that is not easy. Philips Sonicare HX5611/01 electronic toothbrush is rechargeable in nature that means no worries of replacing batteries! Just put it back on the charger stand and it is ready to use whenever you want it to use. It has angled neck brush head which enables reaching places where traditional brushes were unable to reach. Two-minute smart timer ensures a professional brushing time is maintained. The full charge of this product lasts for full two weeks, isn't it amazing! It sprays dynamic fluid action which helps both teeth and gum line. The bristle changing reminder ensures you change the brush head after a certain time and it beeps. It guarantees 2x more removal of plaque and unwanted substances from teeth and keeps it healthier.
This is another great product from Oral-B with Bluetooth connectivity and new high-tech features. It has 6 modes of working as Daily clean, gum care, sensitive, deep clean, whitening, and tongue cleaning. The whole system is rechargeable in nature and can have awesome sensors to warn the user in real-time with the exclusive Oral-B app linked via Bluetooth. For precise cleaning the bristles are angled in a particular way and cross action brush head ensures plaque removal more neatly and keeps teeth more healthy and white. It has another facility of run-time feedback which includes brushing on your important areas. It works on 3D cleaning facility just fine reaching the difficult areas and sensing each and every action and a countdown timer which switches ON when the brush is picked up. It helps you to maintain the brushing time of complete 2 minutes which is professionally advisable. For superior functionalities and proper oral-care, it is highly recommended.
This is another Philips's creation, Philips Sonicare HX9362/68 boasts to clean more plaque and keeps gum healthy recommended by most dentists. The brush head of this product is designed in a diamond shape which is perfect for removal of more plaque without harming the gums. Light on gums and hard on teeth this is what the working principle of this product. This package consists of a sleek glass for helping its user. Also, it is easy to carry and so is travel-friendly. It guarantees whitener teeth is just 1 week of use and also healthier gums in 2 weeks of use which is why it has become one of the leading brand and most popular models. It accompanies a USB chargeable travel case which is always ready to use while traveling. Now never run out of power with this awesome product by Oral-B and smile with confidence.
Now plaque control is easy and efficient with this Philips HX6211/30 Sonicare toothbrush. This rechargeable toothbrush is another product from the Philips Sonicare 2 series. This product removes up to 6 times more plague than the traditional brushes by breaking them into small pieces. It works on the principle that a gap is necessary between the brush head and handles so as to give the mobility to the brush head's movement. Also, includes a smart timer which beeps and encourages smart brushing of minimum recommended time of 2 minutes. The dynamic cleaning technology helps to rejuvenate gum and protects it while the brush head moves 31,000 times per minute and cleans more across the teeth and gum-line. The rechargeable light feature lets you know when it is time to recharge. The carved brush head simply sets on the teeth and the slow action formula starts from the slow mode and gradually increases the speed for better feel.
Taking oral care is way easier with Philips Sonicare Essence series. The product is solid pink in color and attracts every age, especially girls to have one of these. It has some good features like soft-gripped handle which ensures proper handling is maintained and to provide a comfort feel. The sonic technology used in the toothbrush flows the fluid along the gum line and between teeth to remove plaque. Package contains one e-Series brush head which reaches every corner of the mouth and keeps dental problems far away. With regular use of this brush, gum lines strengthen and it fights plaque 2 times more effectively than the standard brushes. The two-minute timer makes it a habit of the user to stick to the idle brushing time. Angled neck and soft brittles provide reaching to the places where ordinary brushes can't reach. The power lasts up to two weeks from one charge. The product comes with a two-year warranty which proves the quality and confidence.
The amazing package from Waterpik is a total protection to Oral care. The package consists of one electronic toothbrush and one flosser creating an all in one gadget for oral cleaning. The Waterpik WP-900 total oral package challenges healthier gums in just 14 days. It has other great features of an automatic feature of the pressure controlling in flosser, who provides proper flossing around the gum line and protects it from hard water pressure. The package contains premium toothbrush travel plastic case to ensure you can travel with it wherever you go and use it. The brush has zigzag action bristles which provide easy removal of plaque and floss.
In our list, this is the most popular electronic toothbrush of the whole time with the highest reviews and most people successfully used and liked this product around the globe. It cleanses up to 300 percent more plaques and another unwanted particle throughout our teeth compared to the traditional toothbrush. The cross action of the bristles helps cleaning more of the plagues throughout the gum line and the teeth providing a healthier gum for future and cleaner, whiter teeth. It is clinically proven to be more effective in breaking of plagues by 300 percent. The brush rotates to break up and clean sweep the plaque available between the gum line and the teeth. The self-timer is set to 30 seconds to make sure the user switches the brush top every quadrant of the mouth. The fast action of the rotating brush oscillates and pulsates to provide a perfect action for the removal of maximum plaques throughout your mouth. The bristles here are angled each at 16 degrees to create a 3D cleaning experience. There are two modes to it –the first one is for them who brushes too hard, and the second one is a dentist-recommended mode which takes care of the oral cleaning very strictly. Best thing is it is brought to you by the no. 1 Oral brand of all times that is Oral-B. Dentists prefer Oral-B over any products in the market. So users can easily trust the product too.


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Allergies are a common problem, and though many treatments exist, researchers are always finding new information about what causes allergies and how to treat them better. Here are some new insights into allergies.
A recent study found that children born by C-section were five times more likely to develop allergies than babies born naturally. Researchers looked at 1,258 newborns from 2003 to 2007. The children were evaluated at four intervals throughout the study, and samples were collected from the baby's umbilical cord and stool.
Researchers have found that race and genetics, rather than the environment, play a role in a child's sensitivity to developing a food allergy. Sensitization means the immune system produces a specific antibody to an allergen, but it doesn't mean the person will have allergy symptoms. The study showed that African-American children were sensitized to at least one food allergen three times as often as Caucasian kids.
A recent study has found that people with hay fever, or seasonal allergies, benefit from acupuncture, plus rescue antihistamine medication. Researchers looked at 422 volunteers with hay fever. The scientists found that those people who underwent real acupuncture had fewer symptoms and required fewer antihistamines.
Researchers have discovered that a once-a-month, high-dose of an asthma drug (omalizumab) is a successful treatment for teens and adults with chronic hives, which causes a severe, itchy rash. The therapy was tested on 323 people with chronic hives, and after three months, 53 percent experienced elimination of hives, and 44 percent had no further incidents of hives or itching.
People who live near the equator are at an increased risk of developing asthma and allergies, according to a recent study. Researchers say the difference is not due to pollen count, but rather higher exposure to UV-B rays is to blame. UV-B rays may be linked to Vitamin D, which can modify the immune system and put people at an elevated risk for asthma and allergies.


Some talk a lot and do very little, others do a bit out of legal obligation or because they want to pay less tax. And while good PR and a lower tax bill may be an added bonus, neither of these things came up when Red Badger's staff decided to form a group to enable ourselves to create more social impact.
Like all good fairy tales, it started in a castle.
A castle in Leipzig where we held our now infamous 2016 Summer Party. But unlike the stories of old, this one didn't start by royal decree but the modern and inclusive agenda setting technique that is 'Open Spaces'. Designed to enable large groups to create their own programme of discussions quickly and easily, Open Space workshops basically involve attendees putting forward discussion topics they will go on to lead. Topics ranged from tech, strategy and process, to politics and, the question I put forward, 'How can Red Badger deliver more social value?' It was one of the most popular sessions on the day. Let's make things better.
That's actually our company strapline, but it also explains why lots of us want to make a social impact in our day job. In simple terms we care, so much so that it's part of our brand and purpose. We want to use our skills for social good but also see it as a great opportunity to use exciting new tech/process/strategy and expand our domain knowledge in new sectors. Last but not least, we thought it could be a great way to maintain company morale, and provide some respite from project fatigue.
Keeping true to our roots.
The question 'How can Red Badger deliver more social value?' had obviously struck a chord with loads of people in the company, so it was chosen as one of the three areas we would explore further. But rather than leading it, Red Badger's top brass decided it should continue to be driven from the ground up in the form of a staff-led and self-managing 'committee'.
To this day, it is still unclear whether they selected me as Chair because of my background in the public and not-for-profit sectors or because they thought I really loved clipboards. In the end it didn't really matter; a couple of meetings in, we decided that it was time for a re-brand.
First things first; naming conventions.
I don't think I'm alone in associating the word 'committee' with a governmental talking shop, the kind that takes years to investigate an issue, only to come out with a report which no one reads and is outdated months before they even manage to publish it. Keen to remove this stigma, we wanted a new name. One that perfectly encapsulated our action-driven, pragmatic and focused outlook. One that no one would associate with a clipboard.
We like to do, not just talk.
Enter the Social Value Task Force. Think Arnie, but in place of the AK-47 we have post-it notes and lovely intentions.
Once we'd gotten the renaming out of the way it was time to think about the little things; the challenges, the things which restrict us, the sorts of things that we will need to think about in order to make sure we, you know, succeed.
Our lofty ambitions need to be ground in pragmatism and an awareness of all the things which may inhibit us so that we can keep our, and our company's, expectations manageable, realistic and most importantly achievable. And there are many such things; as a consultancy our clients' needs will always be paramount, so skipping out for meetings is not always possible, and any resources we have available for internal projects can change, and rapidly. The last thing we would want to do is bite off more than we can chew. On the other hand, what if we work on a project, only to find out at the end that the solution doesn't really solve the problem?
Clearly, if we were to take any project on, we would need to first work with any partners to validate the ideas on the table.
If in doubt, map it out.
The other challenge, albeit a good one, was the sheer number of ideas everyone had on how we could deliver social value. We began to affinity map them into categories; our wallets, our resources, our time, our communities and our skills.
But to understand where to focus our efforts and assess any potential opportunities we needed to understand the amount of commitment (and thus inhibitors we need to consider) versus the value that it would bring. I don't know about you, but for us at Red Badger, this just screams graph.
On the horizontal axis we had 'RB commitment' and on the vertical, 'Social Value Impact', we then plotted all the ideas we'd come up with. The result, was not only a thing of beauty (see pic) but also a really useful tool we could use to identify some quick wins which we could get cracking on straight away.
Not letting the distance get between us.
As a dispersed team we needed to make sure we have good channels of communication. Our graph helped us to create a to do list, or social value backlog of sorts. Cue Trello to manage it all and give visibility to everyone on the task force regardless of where they are based (we work client side at RB). We also have regular lunches, with members taking turns to organise it so that everyone has a chance to book one in that's near to their current workplace. And it wouldn't be a task force without a Slack channel. Obvs.
All talk, I hear you saying. What have you actually done?
It's baby steps, but it's still early days for us. We have a lot more on the list, but the progress so far has been encouraging. Maybe even life-affirming. Maybe.
Honestly, we're under no illusion that we're changing the world, but in order to make lasting impact we want to slowly build up to the right hand corner of the graph (maximum value, maximum commitment) ensuring we are taking the right approach, involving the right people, and being firmly grounded in pragmatism so that we don't compromise our company, clients or partners.
If you have any ideas for how Red Badger could deliver social value please get in touch. And if you'd like to join the task force (and by default, Red Badger) have a look at our Jobs, we're always on the lookout for great, passionate people that want to make things better.


A fix has been found and is now being applied, service will be restored shortly.
cPanel and WHM updates have broken apache, whilst we utilize NGINX for 99% of our customers, the few that are on apache will currently be down until a fix is put in place. We estimate around an hour to fix. If you would like to swap back to a NGINX profile in the meantime please let us know.
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text:
Seattle City Council 9/6/11 Introduction and Referral Calendar
September 1, 2011 by City Clerk's Office
Seattle City Council Introduction and Referral Calendar September 6, 2011
BY GODDEN
1. C.B. 117272
Committee referral: Full Council
AN ORDINANCE authorizing, in 2011, acceptance of funding from non-City sources; authorizing the heads of the Department of Planning and Development, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Finance and Administrative Services, Human Services Department, the Office of Economic Development, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Police Department, Seattle City Light, and Seattle Public Utilities to accept specified grants and private funding and to execute, deliver, and perform corresponding agreements; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
Committee referral: Finance and Budget
AN ORDINANCE amending Ordinance 123442, which adopted the 2011 Budget, including the 2011-2016 Capital Improvement Program (CIP); changing appropriations to various departments and budget control levels, and from various funds in the Budget; creating new appropriations; adding new projects; revising project allocations for certain projects in the 2011-2016 CIP; creating new positions, one of which is exempt from Civil Service; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts; all by a 3/4 vote of the City Council.
AN ORDINANCE relating to City employment; amending Seattle Municipal Code Section 4.34.055 to provide eligible employees breaks to express breast milk without deduction of pay or paid leave balances.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the business license tax; amending the Seattle Municipal Code to provide that all return or tax information is confidential, privileged, and subject to disclosure in the manner provided by RCW 82.32.330; and amending Section 5.55.200 of the Seattle Municipal Code in connection therewith.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the business license tax; repealing a tax classification relating to flour manufacturing and selling in the City; and amending Sections 5.30.025, 5.30.050, 5.45.050, 5.45.080, 5.45.081, 5.45.082, 5.45.100, and 5.46.030 of the Seattle Municipal Code in connection therewith.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the monetary penalty for parking infractions; amending Section 11.31.121 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
BY HARRELL
10. C.B. 117281
AN ORDINANCE relating to the City Light Department, declaring certain real property rights surplus to utility needs; authorizing the Superintendent or his designee to grant an easement for access purposes over a portion of the City's fee-owned Duwamish Transmission Corridor adjacent to South 112th Street in the City of Tukwila, Washington; and accepting payment for the true and full value of the easement from Amalfi Investments, LLC.
Committee referral: Energy, Technology, and Civil Rights
AN ORDINANCE relating to the City Light Department; authorizing the execution of a confirmation agreement with J.P. Morgan Ventures Energy Corporation for the purchase of environmental attributes in the form of renewable energy certificates that are necessary or convenient for meeting the requirements of the Washington State Energy Independence Act; and further authorizing the execution of other necessary and convenient agreements for the receipt, tracking, transferring, management, and sale of the environmental attributes.
BY CLARK
AN ORDINANCE relating to land use and zoning; amending Chapter 23.32 of the Seattle Municipal Code at page 52 of the Official Land Use Map to rezone property located at 6300 Seaview Avenue NW, and a portion of the NW 65th Street right-of-way lying immediately east of Seaview Avenue NW, from Single Family 5000 (SF 5000) to Commercial 1 with a 40 foot height limit (C1-40) (Petition by Mary Hanna Murphy, C.F. 311196, DPD Project 3011490).
BY RASMUSSEN
AN ORDINANCE granting Grange Insurance Association permission to maintain and operate a skybridge over and across the alley between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue, north of Cedar Street, for a ten-year term, renewable for two successive ten-year terms; specifying the conditions under which this permit is granted; providing for the acceptance of the permit and conditions; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
Committee referral: Transportation
BY BAGSHAW
AN ORDINANCE relating to the Seattle Center Department; authorizing the Seattle Center Director to execute a ten year lease agreement, with additional options to extend, with Friends of KEXP; under which agreement KEXP will renovate and lease space in the Northwest Rooms and a portion of the adjacent courtyard at Seattle Center for use as KEXP's radio broadcast studios and offices, performance spaces, a cafe, a shared use outdoor stage, and other uses supporting KEXP's operations.
Committee referral: Parks and Seattle Center
AN ORDINANCE related to land use and zoning, amending Section 23.76.026 of the Seattle Municipal Code to clarify provisions related to structure height measurement for certain types of development consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
Committee referral: Built Environment
16. Res. 31319
A RESOLUTION granting conceptual approval to construct, maintain, and operate a pedestrian skybridge in the mid- block portion of the alley between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue, south of Lenora Street, as proposed by the Hammer Company and Clise, Inc.
BY O'BRIEN; CO-SPONSOR: CONLIN
A RESOLUTION superseding Resolution 31315, guiding Seattle City Council to work with appropriate City departments in developing an ordinance to reduce the impact of a potential increase in the vehicle license fee on low- income residents of Seattle
Committee referral: Full Council for Introduction and Adoption
18. C.F. 311733
Appointment of Lydia Heard as member, Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board, for a term of confirmation to March 4, 2012.
Reappointment of Matthew C. Crane as member, Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board, for a term of confirmation to August 31, 2013.
Reappointment of Neal Komedal as member, Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board, for a term of confirmation to August 31, 2013.
Reappointment of Jean E. White as member, Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board, for a term of confirmation to August 31, 2013.
BY Burgess
January 2011 through June 2011 Semi-Annual Report of the Office of Professional Accountability Review Board.
Committee referral: Public Safety and Education
Joint Report of the Office of Professional Accountability Auditor and the Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) Review Board on proposed changes to OPA Complaint Classifications and Investigative Findings.
Response of the Police Chief to the June 2011 Report of the Police Intelligence Auditor, filed pursuant to Ordinance 108333 (Seattle Municipal Code 14.12).
Filed Under: Introduction and Referral Calendar Tagged With: Introduction and Referral Calendar


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Home Tags Posts tagged with "fbi investigation"
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has blamed her surprise election loss on interventions by the FBI director, James Comey.
James Comey had revived the inquiry into her use of email while secretary of state shortly before Election Day had stopped her campaign's momentum, Hillary Clinton said.
She was speaking to top party donors in a phone call, which was leaked to the media.
Protests are continuing against Donald Trump's win.
In New York, about 2,000 marchers headed for the skyscraper where the president-elect lives, shouting "not my president".
Anti-Trump activists have held daily protests in US cities since his election victory was confirmed on Wednesday.
Donald Trump seems to be rowing back on some of his campaign pledges. Having promised to scrap President Barack Obama's Affordable Act – ObamaCare – he now says he is open to leaving intact key parts of the act.
The Republican is due to be sworn in on January 20, taking over from President Obama, who will have completed two terms in office.
Hillary Clinton, who served as Barack Obama's secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, has been keeping a low profile since conceding victory.
On October 28, James Comey informed Congress that the FBI was examining newly discovered emails sent or received by Hillary Clinton, thus reviving an investigation which had been completed in July.
Then, on November 6, two days before the election, James Comey announced in a second letter that he was standing by his original assessment – that Hillary Clinton should not face criminal charges.
"There are lots of reasons why an election like this is not successful," Hillary Clinton told the donors on a farewell conference call on November 12.
Hillary Clinton added that James Comey's later recommendation that she should face no charges had energized Donald Trump's supporters.
Her campaign team said that despite Hillary Clinton being cleared of criminal behavior, the move only revived Donald Trump's claim that the Democratic candidate was being protected by a rigged system.
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton says she is "confident" a new FBI probe linked to her emails will not change its original finding that she should not be prosecuted.
She called on the FBI director to explain the new inquiry to the American people.
James Comey earlier said the FBI was looking into newly found messages.
The latest emails came to light during a separate inquiry into top Clinton aide Huma Abedin's estranged husband, former congressman Anthony Weiner.
Devices belonging to Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner were seized in an investigation into whether he sent explicit emails to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina.
Hillary Clinton said: "The American people deserve to get the full and complete facts immediately.
Donald Trump, however, described the FBI investigation as "the biggest political scandal since Watergate", referring to the 1970s scandal that engulfed Republican President Richard Nixon.
"It's everybody's hope that justice at last can be delivered," the Republican candidate told supporters at a rally in Iowa.
James Comey said the FBI would investigate if the newly discovered emails contain classified information.
The FBI chief said in a letter to Congress that investigators had discovered the emails "in connection with an unrelated case… that appear to be pertinent to the investigation".
James Comey said he "cannot yet assess whether or not this material may be significant, and I cannot predict how long it will take us to complete this additional work".
The FBI has already established Hillary Clinton had classified information on a private email server.
In July, James Comey said Hillary Clinton's handling of sensitive material during her 2009-2013 tenure as secretary of state was "extremely careless", but cleared her of any criminal wrongdoing.
The revelation that Hillary Clinton handled sensitive information while breaking federal rules by running her own email server out of her upstate New York home has dogged her campaign since last year.
Her campaign chairman John Podesta criticised the FBI's "extraordinary" timing.
The revelation comes just 11 days before Americans go to the polls in the presidential election.
Hillary Clinton is five points ahead of Donald Trump, according to a Real Clear Politics average.
Golfer Phil Mickelson and Las Vegas gambler William Walters are being investigated by the FBI over a possible insider trading involving billionaire investor Carl Icahn.
The inquiry is reportedly examining whether Phil Mickelson and William Walters may have traded shares illegally, based on information provided by Carl Icahn.
Phil Mickelson's lawyers say he is not the target of an investigation.
Carl Icahn, 78, denies giving insider information. William Walters has not yet commented.
Phil Mickelson, 43, has won five major championships and is one of the US's highest-paid sportsmen.
The FBI, along with the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors in Manhattan, are said to be looking into trading in two different stocks.
The investigation, which began three years ago, is focusing on trades in cleaning products company Clorox.
Carl Icahn, a billionaire investor and prominent activist, was mounting a takeover bid for Clorox around the time that Phil Mickelson and William Walters placed their trades, the New York Times reports.
"We do not know of any investigation," Carl Icahn told Reuters news agency, saying he was proud of his 50-year "unblemished record".
Investigators are also reportedly looking into trades that Phil Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion, and William Walters made relating to Dean Foods, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The New York Times quotes sources saying federal authorities are looking into trades placed in August 2012 just before the company announced quarterly results.
Those trades appeared to have no connection to Carl Icahn, the newspaper added.
The FBI and other federal agencies have not commented publicly on the allegations.
None of the men have been directly accused of any wrongdoing.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, the mother of the Boston bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, watches the video of her dead son's mutilated body and cries, her lawyer revealed on Tuesday, after it emerged that she is to be questioned by US investigators.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva appeared publicly outside her home for the first time since her sons Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were named as suspects. She was ushered past journalists and into a taxi, which sped away.
US investigators traveled to southern Russia today to speak to Zubeidat Tsarnaeva and her husband Anzor Tsarnaev, an American Embassy official said.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva is in Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim province in Russia's Caucasus, where Islamic militants have waged an insurgency against Russian security sources for years.
The family's lawyer Heda Saratova, asked for the family to be left alone and said that the parents had just seen pictures of the mutilated body of their elder son Tamerlan Tsarnaev and were not up to speaking with anyone at the moment.
"The mother is in very bad shape," Heda Saratova said.
The trip by the US team was made possible because of Russian government cooperation with the FBI investigation into the bombing at the Boston Marathon.
Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev are accused of setting off the bombs that killed three people and wounded more than 180 others on April 15.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed in a police shootout, while his 19-year-old brother Dzhokhar was captured alive but badly wounded.
The embassy official said he could not confirm whether the US investigators had already talked to the suspects' parents.
"Naturally, the parents are not ready to meet with anyone because the grief is enormous," Russian official Zaurbek Sadakhanov told a crowd of journalist in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan.
"They … are asking to be left alone, at least for a while, to be able to recover.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva is from Dagestan, while the suspects' father, Anzor Tsarnaev is from neighboring Chechnya.
Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev had spent little time in either place before the family moved to the US a decade ago, but Tamerlan was in Russia for six months last year.
The father of the two Boston bombing suspects will apparently travel to the US later this week in order to seek "justice and the truth.
Anzor Tsarnaev says he has "lots of questions for the police" and is keen 'to clear up many things'"when he arrives from his home in Makhachkala in Russia.
He had previously said that he would return to America this week in the wake of the death of his elder son Tamerlan and the arrest of 19-year-old Dzhokhar.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva added that the family hoped to bring Tamerlan's body back to Russia.
The head of the House Intelligence Committee suggested on Sunday that President Barack Obama might have known about former CIA Director David Petraeus' extra-marital affair before the November election, and said Attorney General Eric Holder should address this question soon before Congress.
U.S. Representative Mike Rogers, a Republican, said Eric Holder's statement that the Justice Department had not informed the president before the election implied that Holder might have told Barack Obama privately.
Mike Rogers noted that the FBI investigation of the communications between David Petraeus and his biographer Paula Broadwell arose due to concern over a counter-intelligence threat. Both David Petraeus and Paula Broadwell have said they did not share any security secrets, and investigators have said they have found no security breach.
"It probably should have been brought forward earlier as a national security threat," Mike Rogers said.
"I'm not sure that the president was not told before Election Day. The attorney general said that the Department of Justice did not notify the president, but we don't know if the attorney general…[notified him]," he said.
Mike Rogers said Eric Holder should come before the intelligence committees to discuss it.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein disagreed, saying Holder had explained to the intelligence committees there was no notification while the investigation was under way. Justice and the FBI took this approach, she said, "so there is an ability to move ahead without any political weighing-in on any side".
David Petraeus admitted to the affair and resigned his post at the CIA three days after Barack Obama was elected to a second term on November 6.
Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham called the FBI investigation of the affair "the oddest story in the world" and doubted Barack Obama knew before the election.
"I could see how he would not know," he said.
Despite the ongoing FBI investigation into the extra-marital affair that led to his resignation as Director of the CIA, David Petraeus has agreed to testify this Friday before a House Committee on the Benghazi consulate attack.
The hearing, which will be held before the Senate Intelligence Committee, is closed to the public and the media and the retired four-star general will answer questions on the CIA's knowledge and handling of the September 11th assault that left U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other American dead.
Last night it was confirmed by the Committee that David Petraeus would appear before them at 7.30 a.m. putting an end to the speculation the former CIA chief would decline to testify following his resignation over the Paula Broadwell affair.
David Petraeus hopes that by offering to give testimony he will clear up some of the wilder rumors that are circulating.
"He did not like the conspiracies going around that somehow he had something to hide on Benghazi," said retired Colonel Peter Mansoor who served as David Petraeus' executive officer in Iraq.
This comes as the former CIA director told his close friend Peter Mansoor that he was ignoring the media firestorm that has erupted in the wake of his resignation.
"He wants to maintain a distance and focus on his family at this time," said retired Peter Mansoor to CNN.
Sources have told CBS' Margaret Brennan that intelligence officials will show footage from unmanned drones that were overhead during the assault.
"General Petraeus is willing to come before the committee and the details are being worked out," Senator Diane Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said today. No date for his testimony has been set.
Dianne Feinstein has been among those in Congress who have complained that lawmakers should have been notified about an FBI investigation that led to the disclosure of David Petraeus' affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.
But she said that David Petraeus' testimony to her committee will be limited to the Benghazi attacks that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others. David Petraeus was CIA director at the time of the attacks and visited Libya afterward.
David Petraeus was originally supposed to give evidence to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday before his resignation and subsequent investigation that has expanded to include General John Allen, the chief of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.


Last year in the May/June issue, I wrote about Burak Çevik's debut The Pillar of Salt, an elliptical narrative of a pregnant vampire emerging from a cave in search of her urbanite twin sister: "Infused with an apocalyptic atmosphere that draws as much from '70s visceral horror as from the slow-burning, contemplative cinemas of Tsai Ming-liang and Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 24-year-old first-time feature filmmaker Burak Çevik's Berlinale Forum entry The Pillar of Salt is an engrossingly imaginative dystopian meditation on the fractured and paranoid nature of contemporary Turkish reality." Çevik's second feature, Belonging, continues his existential explorations through the story of a crime committed on Istanbul's outskirts.
Over the opening black screen, the director reveals in voiceover that the film has autobiographical origins in his grandmother's murder by his aunt and her lover a decade and a half prior. Composed of shots of empty places set to an ominous ambient score, the first half presents a detailed account of events borrowed from the male accomplice's statement to the police. A leap into fiction and fantasy, the second half subverts our expectations by depicting the youthful innocence of the night the couple crossed paths. Driven by a belief in cinematic language, Belonging is a therapeutic gesture that rises above psychological and moral judgments to navigate the complexity of family history.
I spoke with Çevik over Skype in advance of Belonging's U.S. premiere on April 4 in New Directors/New Films.
Why did you choose to focus on the how of the killing rather than the why?
I've always thought that when we talk about films, we should separate them from their directors and consider them as independent entities. But opening Belonging with my own voice meant that I would be talking about myself. In that sense, your question calls for a personal answer, since the reason [for the murder] is still unknown to us. There are no clear reasons other than the ones mentioned by the man in his voiceover, like the fact that the woman had asked an ex-boyfriend to kill her mother on account of her being a liar.
For a long time, I didn't feel like this story belonged to me nor had much value. I thought everybody had their own tragedy, so I expelled it from my system. For example, when I was 11 or 12 years old, the trial was covered by a newspaper, and I showed the article to my friends at school, saying: "Look, my aunt is in the paper!"—I had completely detached myself from the emotional content. A few years ago, I received the investigative file and read it from beginning to end, including the autopsy reports, witness accounts, and indictment. I remembered most of the places [in the file] from my childhood, such as my grandmother's apartment and its surroundings, and the film originated from a desire to revisit them. One night, with my girlfriend Dilşad [Aladağ, also Belonging's production designer], we drove to İkitelli [a neighborhood in Istanbul], where my grandparents used to live. But when I went inside their building, I was [emotionally] unable to go upstairs. So the fact that I couldn't climb the stairs leading to [my grandparents'] apartment was proof that I needed to reflect on this situation.
When I first began developing Belonging and submitted a proposal to the ministry of culture, it consisted entirely of shots of empty places. But then I realized I've always wanted to film a nocturnal encounter between two people who muse about life. So the movie was born out of these two ideas, but part of me still wonders how my original concept would have turned out if I had stuck with it.
I think the second section is essential. It contrasts with the clinical approach of the first and allows us to have a more palpable understanding of the characters as people.
Yes, it allows us not to judge them. During the test screening, an American said he didn't like the in-between feeling of hating the characters for the first 20 minutes then loving them for the rest of the movie—he didn't want to like a murderer. But playing with the viewer's position was one of my main intentions, so I was quite pleased with his reaction. What I also find interesting is the discrepancy between what the audience sees and knows. In the first part, we know everything, so we start watching the second part with that [mindset] only to realize that we're watching something completely different.
The nonlinear structure opens up a mental space for the viewer to endlessly deconstruct the narrative.
Absolutely. My first feature, The Pillar of Salt, had a fragmented structure and too many small ideas that caused the audience to lose interest. That's why I wanted Belonging to be a more economical and efficient film guided by one or two main ideas.
Did you conceive the second half as an entrance into the realm of fiction?
Yes, but I approached it from a very personal place. The reason why I used the man's statement rather than the woman's was that he had a better memory of places—his act of remembrance involves the audience. But in the second half, I felt closer to my aunt, and there are a lot of references to me, such as when she speaks about my 10-year-old self or her habit of sending out postcards. The woman's love of plants and Lale Müldür's poem [which she reads to the man in the living room] come from my girlfriend Dilşad, who used to read it to me when I was struggling to finish The Pillar of Salt.
Lale Müldür is also in there with the Yeni Türkü song "Destina," which plays in the car and takes us into the past.
I needed music to lead us into the bar scene [which begins the second part], but when I first picked the poem and the song, I didn't know Lale Müldür was the author of both. [Laughs] I knew there had to be [a pause] after listening to the man's story for 20 minutes, so that transition shot was one of the first things I designed. I was also very interested in imagining the internal life of a man who has committed murder and drives on a highway alone at night—what does he listen to on the radio and how does he feel? The same question goes for the audience, who has participated in the character's whole process of remembrance and now rides in a car alone with him.
How did you map out the progression of the score, which mirrors the turning points of the man's story?
I began with references from experimental composers and identified with one of them ["The Oval Window, the Horses" by Brahim Yilmaz] to the extent of trying to buy its rights. I never got a response, but still used it as a basis for the edit. Some places worked great, others not as much, so I told my sound designer, Yalın [Özgencil], that we needed an original score. A week later, Mine Pakel, a collaborator of Yalın's, sent me her composition, and it fit the film so well that we almost didn't revise it. What I like about the music is how well it merges with the sound design—a combination of soundscapes recorded in post and hypnotic sounds that convey the man's interiority.
The Pillar of Salt experimented with a detached acting style influenced by Straub-Huillet, while the performances in Belonging are naturalistic.
I received a lot of criticism for the performances in The Pillar of Salt and was convinced that Belonging's characters should be concrete—I wish their interactions played out even more naturally. The shoot lasted nine days, and since I only had four to shoot the fictional part, I knew I had to edit the scenes while writing them. All the blocking was ready, including small details like where the woman puts her coat after entering her apartment, and I met up with the actors once a week for a month and a half to work on the text.
The locations have an uncanny, ghostly atmosphere, especially the interiors with their open windows and floating drapes.
Some locations are authentic, others not, but it was important to establish certain cues [such as objects] from the man's voiceover. The merging of reality and fiction is the very subject of this film, and we tried to mirror the act of remembrance itself—our minds transform places from our past.
The crossing of reality and fiction finds an unsettling embodiment in Pelin's graduation picture, which becomes a recurring motif in the second part after we get a glimpse of it in the first. That moment marks an intrusion of fiction into fact through the presence of an actress's photograph in what we perceive as an authentic location.
When the man conjures up the failed murder attempt, the red light inside the parents' building evokes a giallo.
We wanted a naturalistic light that would morph as we enter the man's psyche, and we put some of that aesthetic into the fictional part as well—the characters meet under blue and red lights. Horror cinema is not really a reference for me, but I acknowledge the relationship of both of my films with genre. It's interesting, because a lot of people who saw The Pillar of Salt told me they would finance it if I wrote a thriller or a horror movie. I think part of me instinctively gravitates toward that register.
The way the locations come to life reminded me of the concept of environmental storytelling in video games, like when the copy machine in the man's office begins printing on its own as though it were possessed.
I initially wanted to make Belonging as a VR project. So I did a lot of research and spoke with Deniz Tortum [a filmmaker who specializes in virtual reality]. But I eventually dropped the idea, because I wanted to tell a story that unfolded over time and it's difficult to watch VR for longer than 20 minutes.
You've mentioned the influence of James Benning's Landscape Suicide and Eric Rohmer's romances, but Alain Resnais also comes to mind through his dedication to giving form to memory.
I respect Resnais a lot but somehow feel distant from his cinema. I always had the impression that his approach to filmmaking was too cerebral, although I once locked myself in for a week and watched all his movies. [Laughs] On the other hand, I love James Benning and [identify] with his interest in the relationship between the gaze and the object—I find his work at once impressive, boring, and inspiring. In Landscape Suicide, a woman recounts the murder she has committed for about half an hour, and this made me confident that I could do the same. Like in Benning's film, there were many inserts of evidence in Belonging that didn't make it into the final cut, and I also borrowed his concept of a filmmaker returning to the crime scenes. As for Rohmer, he was a major starting point. All the stylistic references, be it production design or composition, come from him, like that shot of the woman leaning her head against the door after the man leaves. But Rohmer's characters are more cynical—they suffer with irony, while mine are serious.
How would you compare the production process of your two features?
The Pillar of Salt was shot in 11 days over two years. I was more satisfied with that method of meticulous searching that intertwined the shoot and the edit, because it gave me enough time to assess the needs of the story. On Belonging, everything happened so fast that I didn't feel like I had made a film. But that's because it was a different kind of quest, a personal one. Today, when I watch the movie, I feel more emotional, whereas for 15 years, I didn't feel any anger nor pain.
It's interesting that you made this film to acquire an emotion rather than get rid of one.
Yes, but that's also a method of liberation—we cannot get rid of our traumas unless we learn about them.
Cinema provides the right blend of distance and immersion to tackle a trauma.
Absolutely. It was important for me to solve mine through cinema since my discovery of movies coincides with this story.
The Pillar of Salt contained references to Turkey, such as footage from the 1999 İzmit earthquake, while Belonging feels like it could take place anywhere.
A murder like this could only happen in a public housing estate, where nobody would hear the victim scream. A Turkish friend who lives in Berlin pointed out that there are almost no true crime stories in Turkey. We have TV shows about murder and crime, but those [situations] haven't made their way into art-house cinema. Looking ahead, I would like to make a period movie that takes place in the Ottoman era. It's the story of a Şehzade [the Sultan's son] who engages in conversations while eating grape in his palace's garden in Amasya—hopefully a more Rohmerian film than Belonging.