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Car breaks toddler's 6-story fall from Washington State apartment complex
Posted 1:54 pm, April 11, 2019, by Tribune Media Wire
REDMOND, Wash. - A 20-month-old child was hospitalized with serious injuries Wednesday after falling from the sixth floor of a Redmond apartment complex and landing on top of a parked car.
Police got an emergency call at about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday from Redmond Square Apartments after the toddler fell out of a window. Authorities said the toddler was laying on a mattress pad on the floor and propped himself up to the window, falling out. The window is reportedly only about one foot off the ground inside the apartment, making it accessible to the child.
Officials said the child's mother was in another room in the apartment when it happened, and his sister was the first to notice the boy's absence.
"The 4-year-old sister discovered her brother was no longer in the room and came out screaming to the mom that something bad had happened," said Redmond Police Public Information Officer James Perry.
When police arrived at the apartment complex, the boy was alive and crying, and it was all thanks to Edward Lu's blue Mazda.
"That's when I found out the kid had fallen on my car," Lu said.
A dent in the roof of his car marks the spot where the boy landed.
"It's about 60 to 70 feet; if the car hadn't been there this would've been a completely different story," Perry said. "The denting on top of the car suggests it absorbed a lot of the impact from the child."
Lu just happened to bike to work Wednesday instead of driving his car, which would've left his parking spot empty at the time of the fall.
"Yeah you know, if I had driven in today I don't know what would've happened. We're all lucky I guess that I biked in rather than driving," he said.
It's a fall that's turned Lu into a believer of miracles.
"I can't say I do normally, but this time, I don't know how else to term it," he said.
The child was taken to Harborview Medical Center after the fall. A hospital spokesperson said Wednesday evening that he was in serious but stable condition.
Topics: washington news
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Spectacular View from Grouse Mountain, across Inner Harbour, Vancouver City Skyline, Stanley Park & Lions Gate Bridge lights. Central location in Sentinel Hill-schools, shopping, recreation! Large main floor foyer opens to rec room, laundry, and bedroom. Up circular staircase, large kitchen with eating area space opens to huge sundeck/patio and that fabulous view. New renovation in 2014: kitchen flooring, carpeting, soft Benjamin Moore colours exterior & interior paint, staircase railing, lighting, torch on roof.


Restored signaling also plays an important role in the effect of SXSM due to the restored MBIP, PPIC, PRKCZ, vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor (VIPR), PRLR.
sup] The PRLR is a cytokine receptor, and second messenger cascades include the JAK-STAT pathway, JAK-RUSH pathway, Ras-Raf-MAPK, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
The PCR products of PRLR were digested by AluI restriction enzyme at 65C, the MC4R products were digested by TaqI, whereas the LEP products were digested by HinfI at 37C for at least 3 hours or overnight.
The non-synonymous (Gly/Ser) G1789A SNP in PRLR is located on the 16th chromosome (Vincent et al.
Los primers para PRLR fueron los siguientes: F 5'CCC AAA ACA GCA GGA GAA CG 3' y R 5'GGC AAG TGG TTG AAA ATG GA 3' y para ESR los primer utilizados fueron: F 5'CCT GTT TTT ACA GTG ACT TTT ACA GAG 3' y R 5'CAC TTC GAG GGT CAG TCC AAT TAG 3'.
The alleles and genotypic frequencies of PRLR gene were not related with the LP (P > 0.
One approach is the use of antibodies raised against PRLR as PRL mimics.
Despite the insignificant difference between the PRLR genotypes in terms of days to 90 kg and average daily gain (Tables 5 and 6), the back fat thickness showed a significant difference (p<0.
This mechanism involves sequential actions of E2, P4, IFNT, CSH1 and GH1 with biological actions of CSH1 being mediated by homodimerization of the PRLR or heterodimerization of the PRLR and GH1 receptor (Noel et al.
PRLR immunoreactivity has been identified in ovine skin, and western blotting analysis showed major bands corresponding to molecular weights of 87 and 71 kDa in New Zealand Wiltshire ewes (Choy et al.
Divergent evolution in the cytoplasmic domains of PRLR and GHR genes in Artiodactyla.
The porcine PRLR gene has been mapped to chromosome 16 (Vincent et al.


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Q: I want to understand growth over time of specific customer groups How do I query my SQL database in order to pull this information? I have a tool that's connected into my database, but have to write a specific query in order to pull in the data.
Help. Noob here when it comes to code - I'm the marketing guy.

A:
I want to understand growth over time of specific customer groups

My understanding of this requirement is that you want to find out how/when customers where assigned to customer groups. This is not possible as Magento does not store the date/time when a customer was assigned to a specific customer group.

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| Flash Fiction | Children | Mikey Frick Finds a Flower
Mikey Frick Finds a Flower
Robert Lowell Russell || Alankrita Amaya
Mikey Frick hid in his mother's closet until his stomach growled and the cinnamon-sugar darkness, filled with his mother's things, whispered what a good boy he was. When the strangers found him and brought him to his new mom, named Foster, he swore, the next time he hid, no one would ever find him.
By the time Mikey turned five, he was so good at hide-and-seek the other children wouldn't play with him anymore—and that suited him just fine. He didn't need them. He could play alone, hiding where the others wouldn't dare: the dark places, the wriggly places.
One day, he found an animal's burrow hidden behind a shrub. The entrance was just wide enough for his shoulders, and the air wafting from it smelled faintly sweet. He pulled himself inside. The earthen tunnel was as tight as a giant's fist. Mikey scrabbled and clawed his way down, down, down.
When the ground beneath him crumbled, he fell, screaming and waving his arms, until he thudded onto a pillowy surface. Rising to his feet, he blinked in the brilliant light shining in a world of waist-high flowers. Some flowers were the normal sort: roses, lilies, daffodils. But others were covered with bells of silver, gold, and copper, gleaming in the light of the sunless sky. Some had animal heads, their eyes tracking Mikey as he turned in place. Others were shaped like clouds or waterfalls.
"Where am I?" he asked aloud.
"Right there, of course," replied a voice.
Mikey turned to see a girl about his age pointing to where he stood. She wore a dark green dress and had yellow hair in tangled curls.
"I'm Flower," she said. "Do you want to hold my hand?"
He rolled his eyes, then thumped his chest. "I'm Mikey Frick, the best ever at hide-and-seek."
Flower clapped her hands. "I've found you!"
"No, no, no! That doesn't count. We weren't playing yet!"
"Oh…then find me!"
The girl knelt, then scampered away. The belled flowers jangled as she shouldered past. A short distance from where he stood, she called from under the petaled canopy, "OK, I'm ready!"
Mikey slapped his head in disgust and strode to where she was hiding. "Found—"
She wasn't there.
No matter how many stems he bent aside, he couldn't find her.
"Olly olly oxen free!" he called at last.
"Now it's your turn," said Flower beside him.
She closed her eyes and started counting.
Mikey charged through the flowers, his heart pounding, and when he'd gone far enough, he tunneled his body through their stems. A rainbow of petals fluttered in his face.
"Ready or not, here I come!" called Flower.
He grinned when he heard the girl move in the wrong direction, the bells marking her passage.
Still the best.
The tap on his shoulder made him jump. Flower's head poked through the flora. Yellow pollen covered her cheeks and nose.
"Boo!" she giggled, then swooshed away. "Catch me if you can!"
They played game after game, and Mikey learned, with a burgeoning respect, that Flower was very good at hide-and-seek. Whenever he gave up, she would reveal herself, rising from the ground, usually right next to where he stood.
When it was her turn to search, she'd shake the pollen from her hair after finding him—she always found him—and boop his nose with a tickling touch. And Mikey, who really didn't care to lose, would laugh anyway.
"I'm hungry," said Mikey after their zillionth game.
Flower picked a purple rose with fat, drooping petals and took a bite. "These are my favorite," she mumbled, petals spilling from her mouth.
Mikey discovered he liked the tiger heads best—the girl assuring him the flowers didn't mind being eaten. The orange petals were tart and spicy, the black were rich and sweet, like chocolate. The petals filled his belly and slaked his thirst.
"Where are your parents?" he asked Flower.
Scanning the endless fields, she pointed in the distance. "Over there…I think. They don't say much." She took a bite from a pink flower. "They're parent-colored, so don't eat them, please." She burped and he laughed.
"Where are yours?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Somewhere far."
"Do you want to hold my hand?"
He shook his head. "No thanks."
Without the sun, time was funny in the flower world. Whenever they were sleepy, they napped in the perfumed fields. The girl would yank a flower to switch off the sky, and in the darkness some flowers blinked like fireflies. Mikey dreamed of wriggly places and cinnamon. And when he woke, Flower was always nestled beside him, no matter how far from him he'd insist she sleep.
They'd eat, then play: always hide-and-seek. They never tired of the game. Mikey's skills grew, and with practice, he learned how to find the girl—most of the time. He'd shout, "Eureka!"(Flower explaining the word was like 'aha!' only better), and she'd laugh and shriek, then count while he hid.
Some games it took the girl longer to find him, but she always managed. And Mikey Frick, the second-best-ever, would sigh, and grumble, and wonder if he'd ever win.
Then one game, Mikey stumbled over a wriggly place, a hole just his size, beckoning in the ground. His pulse quickened. He could squeeze in; he was sure. Flower would never find him. He'd beat her! He'd be the best again!
Crouching near the hole, he peered into its depths. The darkness breathed his name with a cinnamon-sugar whisper. Seconds ticked away, keeping time with his heartbeat.
Then Mikey Frick smiled and placed his hand next to the hole. "Thanks, Mom, but I think I'm going to stay and play a little longer."
"Found you," Flower said behind him. She held her hand to her mouth and stared at the hole. "What's that?"
"A wriggly place," he said. Still smiling, he took Flower's hand in his and pointed. "Why don't we play over there?"
About Robert Lowell Russell
Robert Lowell Russell, a native Texan, lives with his family in southeastern Ohio (United States). He once aspired to be a history professor, but found writing about the real world too constraining. Not satisfied with writing stories of questionable content for adults, Rob has now started work on series of middle-grade books incorporating his love of not-so-super-heroes and toilet-humor.
>> Robert Lowell Russell's author page
More Children stories
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Red Hook, New York Police Bust Driver Who Was Caught on School Bus Camera
CJ McIntyre Published: January 25, 2023
Hudson Valley police departments have begun tracking down any driver that is caught on camera passing a stopped school bus that has its red lights activated.
In the last few years, numerous Hudson Valley school districts have let the community know that some of the school buses that we see driving every day are now equipped with new technology that could lead to you getting a ticket if you break the law.
School Bus Patrol
Some of the bus companies that operate school buses in the Hudson Valley are now equipped with new cameras and license plate readers that have been installed on random buses in hopes of stopping drivers from passing them when they have their lights and stop signs activated.
Currently, it's unclear how many buses actually have the new technology but I can tell you that I don't think the buses I see driving on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie have it yet because almost every day I see someone drive right past a stopped bus that is on the other side. YES, you MUST stop when a school bus stops and turns on lights and stop sign when it's on the other side of a center median!!
Red Hook "Bus Patrol"
That's what the Red Hook Police Department is calling its attempt at cracking down on drivers that drive past stopped school buses that have their red lights and stop signs activated. The bus patrol is fairly new in Red Hook but is already leading to drivers getting tickets.
Woman Caught on Camera Driving Past Stopped School Bus
According to the Red Hook Police Department Facebook page on Friday, January 20th, they received a complaint from the Red Hook School District that reported an alleged incident where a vehicle had driven past a school bus with its red lights and stop signs activated.
SEE ALSO: Tasing Incident in Catskill Leads to $20 Million Lawsuit
Police started an investigation and after reviewing the new camera and license plate readers installed on the buses, police were able to identify the vehicle. As the investigation continued they were able to identify the driver, a 42-year-old female from Germantown, New York. The driver was issued tickets for "failing to stop for a school bus with lights and stop sign activated and improper use of lane", both infractions according to police.
65 Obnoxious Banned License Plates In New York State
Here are some of the crude, hilarious, and off-the-wall personalized license plates that were denied in New York state in 2022.
Hudson Valley Tattoo Company Empowers Students w/ Hallway Mural
Hudson Valley Tattoo Company and Poughkeepsie High School joined forces to create an extravagant one-of-a-kind hallway mural to inspire and empower students.
Source: Red Hook, New York Police Bust Driver Who Was Caught on School Bus Camera
Filed Under: Dutchess County, Red Hook, Red Hook New York, Red Hook Police Department, school bus safety


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Couples Retreats
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Return to Egypt
Machu Picchu and Peru
Saying "Goodbye" to Our Sweet Daisy
Our beloved Daisy passed away this past week and worse, she passed while we were in Egypt. I wasn't able to be with her and that has been devastating for me.
In late January, we discovered that Daisy had lymphoma, with one tumor in her heart cavity and another on her spleen. At the time she told us through our pet psychic, Sharon, that "my work here isn't done" and she felt very strongly that she could heal.
She told us she wanted us to do everything we could. We were working with two vets, our regular vet, who was doing chemo, and our homeopathic vet. She was taking 25 supplements and we were using Young Living oils on her, especially Frankincense on the location of the tumors, and putting her on the Bemer twice each day.
In the first week of chemo, it looked as if she was responding, as her white blood cell count went down dramatically and her red blood cell count increased dramatically. But by the third week, things were starting to go in the other direction.
We were in weekly contact with her through Sharon and just before we left for Egypt, she told us that she very much wanted to heal and felt that she would. The first week we were in Egypt her beloved caregiver, Terri, sent us a video of her romping and playing with the other dogs. And then in the second week she wasn't interested in food. We did another session with Terri and Daisy said she still wanted to heal, but for the first time she said that if she didn't, she could accept that.
She also told us that there was a white-gold light that she was starting to see that was making her feel really good and that our sweet Katie Kat (who passed last year just before the Egypt trip) was with her, helping her. She said "if I do go, I can't go until you get back, it won't be possible for me to go if I'm not with you." But two days later, our sweet girl was gone.
We spoke with her tonight through Sharon and she told us that Katie Kat was still with her, helping her. At the time of her passing, Katie was saying to her "I've got you, we're helping you, you won't get lost, we've got you." And then she said that she felt so much love on the other side and it just sort of took her in.
As Sharon said, "Katie Kat shows this force of love magnetizing her out of her body." Isn't that beautiful? And it struck me that in the ceremony that we do in King's Chamber, at the end, I have each participant whisper in my ear "I am the mighty, living force of love." And now, just 3 days later, Katie Kat was telling us about a "force of love" that was magnetizing Daisy out of her body and over to the other side.
Daisy was the sweetest, most wonderful dog. She was so beautiful and she absolutely loved everyone. She was a big golden retriever/yellow lab mix (100 pounds) and one of her things was that she was always jumping up on people. She would jump on people who would come to the house and strangers when we were hiking, and it was very overwhelming for a lot of people to have this hundred pound dog jump on them.
When I tried to get her to stop through training and speaking with Sharon, she told me "the people I jump on need more joy in their lives and I'm jumping on them to give it to them." She simply wouldn't stop the jumping, she just had to spread that joy around!
Her brother, Boulder, lives in Oak Creek Canyon with my dear friend Ranjita and it will be very comforting for me to spend time with him. They're so identical that when they were running and jumping, I had to look at their collars to make sure who was who. But it will be bittersweet to be with him as well.
Daisy's amazing entrance into my life…
I have felt so blessed to have had communication with Daisy throughout her entire life with the amazing people I've worked with. It has brought me to such an incredible appreciation of these beings and who they are. And it started with how Daisy came into my life in the first place.
Our beloved dog, Emma (a golden retriever/English springer spaniel mix), passed very suddenly 2 weeks before our Peru trip in 2009. She'd been having some pain in her shoulder and suddenly woke up at 5:30 am, vomited, and one hour later she was gone. We connected with an amazing psychic, Tara, and Emma told us "I'm going to help you find your next dog," to which I responded, "I don't want another dog, I want you."
After we returned from Peru in April, we Googled "Golden retriever mix" and found breeders in Phoenix who breed dogs who are 3/4 Golden and 1/4 Yellow Lab. They had a wait list of over 30 people and said it would probably be 2 years until we could get a dog through them. They said they weren't going to breed Honey until the fall, but then we suddenly received a group email from them saying that Honey had gone into heat.
They had sequestered her in their Arizona room, but a storm came up and a sudden gust of wind blew the door open, and they thought she and Luke had "done the deed"; if so, there would be puppies by July. We let them know we wanted one of the potential puppies and then received an email that they were quite surprised that all but one of the 30 people on the list said they still wanted a puppy, they just didn't want one right now and that we could have one of the puppies.
One week after the puppies were born (are they the cutest or what?) we did another session with Tara to connect with Emma. We hadn't told Tara about the puppies and suddenly when Emma came in, Tara said "what's happening, Emma says you already have another puppy and she says, 'How do you like how I blew the door open?'"
So our sweet Emma brought us our sweet Daisy.
In all the sessions with Sharon over the years, one of the things that came through all the time is that Daisy had a core wounding. Some of it came from a past life that she had with Boulder and I where there was a flood. Boulder and I were swept away and Daisy tried to save us, but Boulder and I drowned and Daisy died trying to save us. She felt that she hadn't done enough and brought that "I'm not enough" into this lifetime.
When my ex-husband and I divorced, Daisy felt abandoned and that she had done something to cause it, and no matter what we told her and explained to her, just like children of divorce, she took that on and it intensified her feelings of "not-enoughness." Sharon and I used to joke that Daisy needed a Soul Adventures retreat, because just telling someone they are enough isn't enough for them to believe – they have to have something happen so that they "get it."
No matter how much I told her or showed her that I loved her, it was never quite enough.
Somehow when my dear husband Richard came into our lives two years ago, Daisy fell in love again. She loved Richard so much and wanted to please him, and would always say she was trying to be a good girl for him, trying to be "good enough."
Finally, in our last two sessions with Sharon, Daisy said she finally "got it." She said she finally felt a complete love. She finally got it that she was good enough, that she didn't have to do anything to be loved except to be her own sweet self. I'm sobbing as I write these words, because I love it so much that she finally really "got it" and I feel that's part of what was able to allow her to go into the light.
It's been so bittersweet these past two years, as we lost Richard's dog, Prancer, eighteen months ago, then Katie Kat one year ago and now Daisy. That's us hiking in Sedona shortly after Richard moved here. We still have our sweet Missy and we thank God for her.
Our four legged friends are such a blessing. They are their own little beings, with their own complexities and such a deep capacity for love. They bring us such joy and it's so painful when they leave. Sharon said Daisy is still with me, licking my face like she used to, so I'm trying to feel that. I certainly feel her love.
I love you, Daisy, you were such a huge part of my life. Thank you for coming into my life and being with me. I will never forget you.
Debra Stangl
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Home > Help Area > Do I need to worry about hardware and maintenance costs?
Do I need to worry about hardware and maintenance costs?
No, the Kooomo fee includes all hardware and software maintenance expenses whilst also keeping the quality of your site to the very highest of internet standards. There won't be any unpleasant surprises as everything is set up to give you full stability in budget management and results.


A unique, catchy name that just sounds good and is spelled correctly from two regular words. Possible uses: A food packaging company. A sales group. A software developer.
The following are business names for sale with similar qualities to Packetmax.com.


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Q: The environment variables obtained by splicing in linux are not parsed As we all know, we can use $HOME to print the current directory just like:
$ echo $HOME
And it will print:
/home/tsingshui
But if I use:
$ __="$""H""O""M""E";echo ${__}
It just print:
$HOME
Is there any way to make it continue parsing out the current directory without using numbers or letters?


3.1 Our prices include all applicable duty and taxes for the supply of good to the Solomon Islands.
4.3 If you cancel your order we will give you a full amount refund.
if we start to proceed with your order.
8.1 To register you must be over eighteen years of age.
8.2 Each registration is for a single user or organisation only. We do not permit you to share your user name and password with any other person nor with multiple users on a network.


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Ні́шла — річка в Україні, в Тернопільському районі Тернопільської области. Права притока Серету (басейн Дністра).

Опис
Довжина 20 км. Річка типово рівнинна. Долина вузька, у пониззі глибока. Заплава в середній та нижній течії місцями відсутня або одностороння. Річище слабозвивисте. Споруджено кілька ставків.

Розташування
Нішла бере початок на північний захід від села Мар'янівка. Тече переважно на південний схід, між селами Конопківка і Ладичин річка робить Z-подібний зиґзаґ. Впадає до Серету в селі Варваринці.

Над річкою розташовані села: Мар'янівка, Настасів, Конопківка, Ладичин і Варваринці.

Біля села Конопківка над річкою розташований санаторій «Медобори».

Галерея

Джерела
 Нішла
 Словник гідронімів України — К.: Наукова думка, 1979. — С. 390 (Нічва)
 «Каталог річок України». — К. : Видавництво АН УРСР, 1957. — С. 43. — (№ 590).

Малі річки України
Притоки Серету
Річки Тернопільського району
Річки Теребовлянського району

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German-French Relations
Merkozy's Men: Advisers Seek to Bridge Euro Differences
Photo Gallery: Bridgebuilders in Berlin and Paris
Foto: epa Dolega/ picture-alliance/ dpa
Merkozy's Men Advisers Seek to Bridge Euro Differences
Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut and Xavier Musca are not household names, but the two are playing a crucial role in efforts in Paris and Berlin to find joint policies for saving the euro. As the main advisers to Merkel and Sarkozy for coordination between Germany and France in the crisis, the two are building a bridge between two vastly different political worlds.
Von Ralf Neukirch und Mathieu von Rohr
The most important telephone relationship between Germany and France connects two level-headed men in two offices that couldn't be any more different from each other. One is small and sparsely furnished and sits on the third floor of the Chancellery in Berlin. The other is huge, looks like the setting for a period film and is located on the second floor of Paris's Elysée Palace.
In recent months, the men have spoken on the phone almost every day, regardless whether the euro zone appeared like it was just about to be saved or on the verge of breaking apart, whether the markets were going haywire or had briefly quieted down. Over time, the two have gotten to know each other better. More than anything, though, they have learned to trust each other. For Europe, that has been the crucial factor.
In public, it has been German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy who have been charting the course for the Continent. Indeed, they have morphed into what the media here have dubbed "Merkozy," Europe's oddball ruler. But since the two have their own countries to lead, they can't afford to speak about where things stand in the battle to save their shared currency on a daily basis. It is Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut and Xavier Musca, Merkel and Sarkozy's respective go-to guys for the euro, who speak on the phone in their stead.
Only a few people are familiar with their names -- and both would actually prefer to see things stay that way. They did not want to be cited in this article because they do what they do best away from the public eye. Indeed, the basis of their collaboration is the understanding that what they say to each other will never be leaked.
The Eye of the Storm
Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, the German, heads the European Division of the Chancellery, where he serves as Merkel's most important adviser on European policies. Previously, he spent several years at the Foreign Ministry, where he was also in charge of a similar European affairs portfolio. His uncle Andreas Meyer-Landrut was also a diplomat, and Lena, the German singer who won the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, is his cousin's daughter.
Xavier Musca, the Frenchman, is secretary general of Elysée Palace, the office of the French president. He is Sarkozy's chief of staff; and as his most important adviser on economic issues, he is even more powerful than France's finance minister. Sarkozy and Musca have known each other since 1979, when they became friends in college. Musca hails from Vico, a village on the island of Corsica, as does Sarkozy's first wife, Marie-Dominique Culioli. He served as the best man in their wedding, and is one of the few at Elysée Palace who are allowed to address Sarkozy informally.
Musca's office is very quiet, and the only thing one hears is a clock ticking on the wall. Outside, the financial markets are running wild, and politicians are roaring. But Musca is in the eye of the storm. An assistant only occasionally enters the office carrying a folded note in her hand. The adviser's Elysée Palace working space is enormous, with ceilings five meters (16 feet) high, and it sits adjacent to Sarkozy's very own chambers. Everything here -- whether it be the furniture, the mirrors or the paintings in the styles of centuries past -- tells a story of power, of former kings and imperial grandeur.
Ironically enough, European politicians have a problem with power at the moment. This is because no one can say for sure just how much of it they have left. Musca is a financial expert. As such, he understands perfectly well how the markets work and why an investor from Singapore, for example, has sold his Italian bonds. However, the job of a politician is not only to understand the markets, but also to see to it that the investor from Singapore starts buying those bonds again. That, of course, is a much greater challenge.
Reconciling Two Worldviews
This is the problem that Musca and Meyer-Landrut have been working on for months now. During the crisis, the Germans and the French have once again discovered just how different they are and just how differently they view the world.
The French saw an approaching catastrophe, the danger of contagion and the threat of the euro crisis spilling over across the entire euro zone. They saw a fire and wanted to call the fire department -- in other words, the European Central Bank (ECB) -- to put it out and to pump fresh money into the system. They viewed euro bonds, for which all of the 17 euro-zone states would be jointly liable, as an alternative.
The Germans hold little to no regard for either idea. Euro bonds would make all states collectively liable for the debts of individual states, and that's not a move Berlin has supported. Likewise, the Germans perceived the danger of the crisis spilling over into other countries as being smaller than the French did. They wanted to combat the crisis at the root level, and they believed that the euro zone would only win back trust if the countries that are part of it were to stop living beyond their means.
The German stance often left the French in a state of perplexity. As they saw it, the house was burning, but the Germans only wanted to talk about why the euro zone's method of construction makes it so flammable. The Germans also fended off one French proposal after the other. As they saw it, they would have only given the false semblance of solving the crisis and they would have further weakened the euro zone.
These are the issues that Musca and Meyer-Landrut have been discussing. Of course, one shouldn't imagine them as being involved in endless negotiations. Instead, the two are often merely trying to better understand the other side's position and to explain their own stances.
Meyer-Landrut and Musca are both 51. The former was trained in Germany's foreign service, while the latter graduated from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) and the Ecole Nationale d'Administation (ENA), two elite French universities. Both exude the sense of correctness characteristic of all good civil servants. In this sense, they are much more similar to each other than their bosses are, and it is likewise often easier for them to reach a common position.
Indeed, the exact relationship between Merkel and Sarkozy has remained enigmatic. At first, they seemed distant and had a difficult relationship. She was the dry, cautious German. He was the emotional, hyperactive Frenchman. She didn't like his posturing or how he touched her when they talked. He didn't understand her hesitant stance, and he didn't know -- or even care to know -- much about Germany. Instead, he looked to America as his model.
Still, for the last three years, this unlikely duo has been condemned to work together. Over time, something has changed in their relationship as well. They have found a way to deal with each other, even if it is just being able to speak their mind on things, like expressing what they want, what they can accept and what they cannot. Over the course of their conversations, they have discovered that neither leader likes to beat around the bush when it comes to discussing the issues.
Indeed, this is probably the most salient feature of German-French relations in the age of the euro crisis. In the place of a classic and formulaically affirmed friendship between the countries -- like the one shared by former French and German leaders François Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl, who famously held hands in 1984 while visiting a World War I military cemetery in Verdun -- a complicated working relationship has emerged in which there is no room for flowery language because too much is happening too quickly in the outside world. Musca and Meyer-Landrut stand right at the center of this relationship.
A Francophone German and Sarkozy's 'Germanest' Colleague
Instead of speaking with each other like diplomats, the two talk like people working on the same issues from two capital cities, and they try to understand what's going on in the world and on the markets. They ask each other: What just happened there? How can we resolve it? Do you have any ideas?
When they speak, they do so in French. Meyer-Landrut is fluent in the language, his wife is French and his doctoral thesis was entitled "France and German Unification." This has helped him to understand his counterpart better and to capture subtleties that would be lost were they to speak English. In other words, you could say that Meyer-Landrut is somebody who "gets" the French. Likewise, in France, Musca has a reputation for being Sarkozy's "Germanest" colleague.
In this respect, the two serve as something akin to translators between their two very different cultures. On the one side, you have France with its president, who is actually more like an elected king who is free to decide almost whatever he wants without the government, the parliament or the judiciary being able to prevent him from doing so. On the other side, you have Germany with its chancellor, who rules as part of a complicated government coalition, as well as with a powerful parliament and a strong-willed Federal Constitutional Court.
A Differing Relationship to National Debt
Still, it's not just their political systems that set the countries apart; it's also their relationship to national debt. In the past, the French were accustomed to using debt to stimulate economic growth. Of course, the Germans have also taken on debt, but they would prefer to have the state steer clear of economic intervention. In fact, they have even come up with a word for this: Ordnungspolitik, or the idea that the government should create the regulatory framework needed to promote free competition and allow market forces to flourish in a socially responsible way, but not more. It is the basic principle behind the country's model for a social market economy.
Musca can even pronounce this word in perfect German. As an orthodox financial policy man, he believes it is best for a country to have its budget under control. Three years ago, when Sarkozy conferred upon him the medal of the Légion d'honneur, France's highest civilian honor, he said to Musca: "Whenever Merkel sees me, she is agitated. Whenever she sees you, she is calm." Although the line was intended as a joke, it still holds true.
After becoming president in May 2007, Sarkozy initially continued the French tradition of borrowing. Musca reportedly criticized the president for that policy at the time. He also became the driving force behind France's decision to approve two austerity packages after the euro crisis erupted. These were the first steps that suggested to the Germans that change was afoot in France.
Musca's position in the Elysée Palace is somewhat more senior than the one Meyer-Landrut holds in the Chancellery, where Musca's natural counterpart would be Merkel's chief of staff, Ronald Pofalla. But ever since Gerhard Schröder -- Germany Social Democratic chancellor from 1998 to 2005 -- created the office of the European policy adviser, the person holding that position has been in charge of shaping Germany's EU policies.
Meyer-Landrut's office in the north wing of the Chancellery, which runs along the Spree River in Berlin, shares nothing of the glamour characterizing Musca's chambers. He has a shelving unit, a desk and a conference table. Nor is the office very large. It is a room designed for working. The Germans are deliberately understated, and they prefer to speak that way on the world stage, as well. That's how it had always been in the Federal Republic of Germany.
Germans Realize They Must Lead
In the past, the Germans usually ceded the leadership role in Europe to the French. Or at least they tried to create that perception -- for historical reasons. Even Meyer-Landrut used to hold the conviction that Germans needed to act with restraint in Europe. But he has since changed his mind. This allocation of roles has lost its validity since matters have started encroaching on the very foundation of German prosperity. The Germans have come to the realization that they have no choice but to lead.
Indeed, the Germans have been increasingly firm about the positions they take. Of course, this wasn't easy for the French to accept, but Sarkozy chose the smartest possible tactic: He tied himself to the Merkel mast, became her comrade-in-arms in the battle for budgetary discipline in Europe and proclaimed the "German model" worthy of imitation.
For their part, the Germans have budged a bit as well. For example, they have allowed themselves to be convinced that there can no longer be a common currency without greater fiscal policy coordination between euro-zone member states. Likewise, in the battle over the European Central Bank, Merkel and Sarkozy have found a magic formula in the phrase: "The ECB is independent." Both no longer make any public statements about what the ECB is or isn't allowed to do. This enables Merkel to acquiesce to things she doesn't officially endorse.
Meanwhile, the ECB is increasingly behaving like the fire department that Musca and the French have desired. For example, shortly before Christmas, it made almost a half-trillion euros in freshly created money available to banks in Europe that had largely ceased lending to each other, threatening to create another credit crunch. The banks also meant to use the money to buy government bonds. Although that doesn't entail the ECB doing the buying itself, it is more or less tantamount to the same thing. The decision raised more hope on the markets than all of Merkel and Sarkozy's emergency summit meetings.
From the outside, it is admittedly exhausting to follow how slowly the two have been tackling the crisis. Viewed from behind the scenes, however, things couldn't be going faster. Germany and France have had to negotiate how the EU treaties could be newly interpreted, which involved having to find a new solution to a new problem every day.
Until the agreement reached in Brussels in early December, it was necessary to take many small steps, including telephone calls between Musca and Meyer-Landrut as well as meetings between Merkel and Sarkozy. No one can say whether the additions to the treaties that they have agreed upon will suffice, and there are many more meetings to come for everyone involved.
Still, Musca and Meyer-Landrut share the same goal. They want investors -- whether they are in Frankfurt, Paris or Singapore -- to start buying the sovereign bonds of European states again. It's one of the most complicated tasks in the entire history of economic policymaking, and the EU's future depends on whether the governments in Europe can find a way to accomplish it.
Until that happens, the two men will continue working in their dissimilar offices, though still chained to each other -- just like Germany and France and Merkel and Sarkozy.
Translated from the German by Josh Ward
German-French Relations Euro Crisis Debt Crisis European Union France
4 Bilder Photo Gallery: Bridgebuilders in Berlin and Paris
Xavier Musca (left), is the secretary general of Elysée Palace, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy's chief of staff. He is also the point man charged with daily negotiations between Paris and Berlin in dealing with the euro crisis.
His counterpart in Berlin is Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut (third from left and next to Angela Merkel in the picture). Meyer-Landrut and Musca both speak French together, and in a sense they are translators between two very different political cultures.
Foto: dapd
In public, it has been Merkel and Sarkozy who have been charting the course in the euro crisis for the Continent. But since the two have their own countries to lead, they can't afford to speak about where things stand in the battle to save their shared currency on a daily basis. This work goes to Meyer-Landrut and Merkel.
Foto: Olivier Hoslet/ dpa
Over the last three years, Merkel and Sarkozy, an unlikely duo, have been condemned to work together in order to rescue the ailing common currency. In the dispute over the Euroepan Central Bank, the two leaders have also found a magic formula in the phrase: "The ECB is independent." Both no longer make any public statements about what the ECB is or isn't allowed to do. This enables Merkel to acquiesce to things she doesn't officially endorse.
Foto: Uwe Anspach/ dpa


This week, we're posing a question: Who's the best (and worst) beat reporter for each MLB team? Yesterday, we tackled the NL East, and today we move to the NL Central. We've organized the threads by team. Jump in the discussion down below and tell us why your favorite/least-favorite reporter is the best/worst. Don't just give us a name. Explain your answer, ideally without saying something stupid about "bias."
Again: The lists below are not necessarily exhaustive; the names are there to get the discussion rolling. If we missed someone, let us know in the comments.


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The Gulf Oil Spill -- Shrouded in Oil and Secrecy
Published April 19, 2012 at 6:52 PM EDT
The senior scientist at the National Wildlife Federation, Dr. Doug Inkley, says what surprised him the most in the wake of the huge spill in the Gulf of Mexico two years ago was the secrecy.
"Maybe I was naive but I really but I really did not expect the extreme degree of secrecy both the industry and the government put in place which was keeping information from being released to the general public... Why is it that you can't allow a reporter to go in and film and look at the pelicans that are being cleaned of oil?"
Inkley says he has had to file a Freedom of Information request to learn the number of dolphins that have died in the Gulf since the spill. The number is up substantially.
He also requested the dolphins' autopsies, but that information was denied because it's is tied up in legal battles.


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Micropterix zangheriella is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by John Heath in 1963. It is only known from the northern Apennines and has been found only in the Emilia-Romagna so far.

The habitat consists of clearings and edges of beech- and mixed beech-forests with well structured underwoods.

The length of the forewings is 3,85 mm for males and 4,3–5 mm for females.

References

Micropterigidae
Moths described in 1963
Endemic fauna of Italy
Moths of Europe
Taxa named by John Heath


text:
Reese Oxner
Published: April 14, 2021, 3:12 PM
The Texas Senate has approved a new statewide appeals court. Critics contend it's another attempt to limit Democrats' power.
The Texas Supreme Court in 2020. A Texas Senate bill would create a new, statewide appeals court under the Supreme Court that critics say would take jurisdiction of cases away from a majority Democratic court in Travis County. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
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The Texas Senate passed a bill Wednesday to create a new statewide court of appeals that would hear cases that have statewide significance — including ones that challenge state laws, the constitution or when the state or its agencies are sued.
Currently, when such cases go to the intermediate appellate level, they are mostly heard by the 3rd Court of Appeals based in Austin. That court's judges are elected by voters in Democratic-leaning Travis County. Senate Bill 1529, though, would send the cases to the new appellate court whose judges would be elected by voters statewide — an electorate that skews Republican.
Some of the state's highest profile cases could be affected by this proposed court. Bill author Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, said that recent lawsuits surrounding Gov. Greg Abbott's pandemic emergency orders are examples of types of litigation the proposed court would have jurisdiction over.
Critics say the proposed new court is a Republican attempt to yank jurisdiction of these cases from Democrats.
The Austin-based 3rd Court of Appeals has five Democrats and only one Republican. Currently, all statewide elected judges are Republican, including on the Texas Supreme Court — and it's likely the proposed court would also be all Republican.
"Since the [3rd Court of Appeals] deals with issues facing state government, it's a thorn in the Republican Party side," Mark P. Jones, a political science fellow at Rice University, said in an interview. "And so by transitioning that by moving that to a statewide election where Republicans have the advantage, they would be able to, most likely, flip from being a Democratic majority… to a [5-0] Republican advantage."
Huffman maintains that she wrote the bill to promote consistency — not for partisan reasons.
"The new court has five justices elected statewide, so that all Texans have a voice in electing those who decide cases of statewide significance," she said from the Senate floor Tuesday. "It's important for judges deciding cases of statewide importance to be familiar with specialized jurisprudence to provide consistent rulings for state litigants. "
SB 1529 passed the Senate in a 18-13 vote on Wednesday and heads to the Texas House, which must also approve it before it can be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott to be signed into law.
"These cases have statewide significance because they can change the policy set for Texas at a state level by their elected representatives," Huffman said Tuesday. "These cases also usually involve nuanced complex legal issues such as sovereign immunity, constitutional law and administrative law."
Critics say the Texas Supreme Court, whose justices are elected statewide, already exists as a safeguard against district appellate court rulings in suits that have statewide implications, making a new court unnecessary.
Currently, a case heard from a district appellate court can be appealed and sent to the Texas Supreme Court. This proposed court would take regional appellate courts out of the equation — when dealing with cases of statewide significance — with the proposed statewide court taking these cases. The Texas Supreme Court would still handle appeals to the new court's decisions.
However, Huffman said the Texas Supreme Court doesn't hear a large number of cases. She also said the proposed court would ensure expertise on major legal matters that have statewide significance since that would be the judges' focus.
Democrats on Tuesday raised constitutional concerns related to this bill, asking if the Legislature has the authority to create an appellate court with statewide jurisdiction, overlapping the current district system. Huffman maintains that it does.
"We'll have to see you in court on this one," Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, said.
Darlene Byrne, chief justice on the 3rd Court of Appeals and a Democrat, said in an interview she thinks the bill is "bad policy and bad for statewide jurisprudence."
Byrne also said the new structure would promote large campaigns.
"I don't know of a Supreme Court race that costs less than a million dollars per candidate," she said. "So this new statewide court is going to be mega-big donors infusing big money to influence the judiciary. And I thought we were trying to get away from that — but apparently not."
Linda Thomas, a former Republican chief justice of the Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals, said she believed the bill was unnecessary.
"As a retired judge, I think it's a little disingenuous, and in some ways, insulting to the sitting justices of this state to indicate that they are not capable of handling complex business cases," Thomas said.
On Tuesday, the Senate adopted two amendments to the bill — one that would raise the salaries for the new justices to be the same as the Supreme Court, and another to clarify language in the bill.
Originally, Huffman introduced the state court of appeals bill alongside Senate Bill 11 — a bill that would have halved the number of appellate courts in the state and redraw "mega courts." Experts projected that would result in five Republican-dominated courts and two Democrat-dominated courts.
However, the senator pulled the bill last week after hours of testimony from justices, most of whom said the problems the bill alleged were overstated and that the proposal was rushed without adequate input. Huffman said in a statement "since the 87th Legislature concludes its business at the end of May, time does not allow for Senate Bill 11 to move further in the legislative process this session."
Huffman did not respond to multiple requests for interviews.
Michael Gomez, an assistant county attorney in El Paso County, spoke in opposition to SB 1529 during a committee hearing on April 1, saying the bill takes power from local jurisdictions and removes accountability.
"Our court of appeals are more than capable of handling cases in which the state is involved and have done so for more than 100 years," Gomez said. "Creating a new appellate court would just create an unnecessary cost to taxpayers to enable state agencies to have a home-field advantage in a friendly forum."
Disclosure: Rice University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.


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An Interview with artist Julie Svendsen
Where the original Haunted Mansion relied in large parts on the concept art of Marc Davis and Rolly Crump, Phantom Manor had Fernando Tenedora... and Julie Svendsen. Most noted for creating the new eerie "stretching" paintings, in 2003 the daughter of long-time Disney animator Julius Svendsen gave us the chance to talk to her about her connection with Disney, Phantom Manor and her other projects.
What was your introduction to the world of Disney theme parks?
I have grown up with Disney. I'm what is called here a "Disney brat". My parents met on the Disney Studio lot. They were both working there in the late 40's. My father was an animator who was hired by Disney while he was still attending Pratt Institute in New York. My mom worked at the studio as a tour guide at that time. She returned to work for Disney years later after raising 4 children. Upon her return, she worked at the newly created Disney Archives.
Do you remember some projects your father worked on as an animator?
Oh yes, he started with the animated features "Fantasia", and "Dumbo", when he was hired at the studio after attending art school. He left the studio during World War 2, then returned to work on "Cinderella", "Peter Pan", "Alice in Wonderland", "Lady and the Tramp", "Jungle Book", "101 Dalmatians", "The Sword and the Stone", "Bedknobs and Broomsticks", "Robin Hood", "The Aristocats", the animated sequences in "Mary Poppins", plus "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day".
He (posthumously) and my mom, apart from Disney, also wrote and illustrated a children's book entitled, HULDA, published by Houghton-Mifflin in 1974. These days, my mom is searching for a publisher for their second book, OLAF, which will probably be illustrated by my friend and me.
How did you get started at Walt Disney Imagineering?
I started working for the then-named WED (Walter Elias Disney) Enterprises in 1970 as a member of the clerical staff. I thank my father and mother for getting me that job. In 1974, after working in such a highly creative atmosphere at WED, I was inspired by many artists there and felt my own creative juices stirring, quit my job and began attending art school. I graduated from Art Center College of Design in 1980 with a BFA in Illustration. I was immediately hired by Walt Disney Imagineering as a show designer. One of the first projects I worked on was the design of New Fantasyland at Disneyland.
I hear that was a really successful overhaul. If I remember correctly, Tony Baxter was in charge of this?
Tony eventually became the person in charge. If I recall correctly, Raellen Lescault, a former Disneyland Ambassador who subsequently was hired at WED Enterprises as a show set designer, started the effort to transform Fantasyland, along with Rolly Crump. Yes, it was truly a successful overhaul.
When and how did you get involved with the Phantom Manor project?
Phantom Manor came along in the late eighties. I had been doing a lot of design work for the Typhoon Lagoon waterpark and Wonders of Life pavilion for EPCOT. But EuroDisneyland was gathering momentum and needed more and more designers. Jeff [Burke, Show Producer for Frontierland] and I were good friends and he asked for my help with some parts of the attraction. I think we started with a couple of illustrations - one showing the "front yard" area of Phantom Manor and one showing the dramatic interior staircase.
The staircase is often praised, I hear from a lot of people who would love to see it at the Disneyland Mansion. Would you agree that certain elements from Phantom Manor could be used to expand on the original attraction?
Unless I'm mistaken, and Jeff would be the best person to determine this, there was such a different way of thinking for Phantom Manor. Previous Haunted Mansions were emphasizing the artistry and comic genius of Marc Davis and his team of Imagineers while Jeff's Phantom Manor was conceived as a story that was told during the ride with the Disneyland Mansion's wonderful gags and illusions along the way.
How did you prepare for the work on Phantom Manor? Did you look at the artwork that Marc Davis, Rolly Crump and other artists did for the Haunted Mansion?
Yes, the work of Marc Davis, Rolly Crump, Wathel Rogers, Yale Gracey, Elmer Plummer and many of the Haunted Mansion artists and effects-makers were referenced and adapted for Phantom Manor. But, Phantom Manor was a different vision deliberately. Jeff Burke wanted to make something that celebrated the work of the prior artists but also told a different story. Part of the change in the story was a factor of the western influence in Frontierland as opposed to the New Orleans locale of Haunted Mansion.
What do you think was your biggest contribution to the show?
I was privileged to be able to add my work for Phantom Manor as part of a wonderful team of artists, designers, writers and special effects wizards. Working with Jeff and the team was a dream assignment and we all felt like we were doing great work.
Just how big is the temptation for you to include little in-jokes like Hidden Mickeys?
I've never understood the impulse to add hidden Mickeys to project artwork. I have understood the urge to hide signatures on artwork. I have done that just to be able to prove that I've created something by pointing out my signature in the bushes or trees of an illustration.
Who do you count as the biggest influence to your artwork?
The major influence on my work would be my dad - I am blessed with his DNA. And, I was fortunate to have known and worked with Disney artists Marc Davis, Al Bertino, Collin Campbell, Jack Ferges, Claude Coats, John Hench, Paul Hartley, Walt Peregoy, and many others too numerous to name. Some of my teachers at Art Center were and still are huge talents - Jack Leynnwood, Joe Henninger to name two.
Were there any projects you liked working on the most, or where you were happiest with the end results?
I would have to say that the projects which gave me the most personal satisfaction were the waterparks Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, and I liked some of the work I did for the Disney stores. I very much enjoyed the wonderful teams on these jobs. Some of the camaraderie was delightful while working on Disneyland Paris - especially that on the team that Jeff Burke pulled together for Frontierland.
From Blizzard Beach, I remember seeing the illustration of a waterpark in a snow globe that I believe was credited to you. I imagine that it must have been fun exploring the contrasts between a water park and a ski resort?
The original concept for Blizzard Beach was born in the brain of Imagineer Marshall Monroe, a mechanical engineer working in special effects, in 1992. He showed up one morning at a brainstorming session with the idea for a waterpark based on winter sports after having spent the previous evening watching the winter Olympics in his hotel room. The idea took off like an avalanche. That was a very exciting project to watch come to fruition.
Back to Phantom Manor for a bit: which aspect of the work on this project did you like best?
Looking back on the work for Phantom Manor, I think the part I enjoyed the most was working on the portraits of the bride and the stretch paintings. Those were really fun and challenging.
Did you get to see the finished attraction?
I saw the finished attraction while vacationing in Paris in 1998.
What did you think of the park? I often hear people say it's the most beautiful of the Magic Kingdoms.
I especially love Eddie Sotto's Main Street at Disneyland Paris - it is stupendous. That whole park is beautifully done. I don't know about most beautiful because each park has its own beauty. Disneyland, California is the first, and in my opinion, the most wonderful and charming. The Magic Kingdom in Florida is huge and beautiful with breathtaking aspects. I'm sorry I haven't had the pleasure of visiting Tokyo Disneyland.
Finally — can you tell us what you're currently working on?
I'm currently working with another artist on my first graphic novel - a marathon job that will occupy my time for most of this year. It is an art form that I have a newfound respect for.


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After enduring a traumatic car crash, many accident victims are too shaken to even take into consideration hiring an attorney. It may well develop into difficult when filing multiple claims with completely different insurance companies, facilitating remedy and repairs, and making certain that you just're getting the compensation you deserve.
An insurance coverage adjuster will want the documentation of damage in an effort to consider and settle a personal injury claim. Contact a personal damage lawyer who handles automotive accident claims. Pro Tip: If you happen to wait before seeking medical remedy, the at-fault insurance firm might argue that your damage wasn't serious and that you don't deserve compensation for medical bills.


How many of us think about keeping cleanliness outside our resident? Avoid use of plastic bags. Follow government's rules and regulations. Essay on Pollution Complete Essay for..
her. Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back. Stephen uses handy phrases like "twists and turns" and "dont sweat the small stuff" as a kind of shorthand for explaining his relationship to chaos and unpredictability. Can you easily picture the scene in your mind's eye? Books: Wuthering Heights, Harry Potter, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Rebecca Films: V for Vendetta, The Kings Speech, The Social Network, Transformers Musical Artists: Chopin and Prokofiev.
Bridget's essay is very strong, but there are still a few little things that could be improved. An Opening Line That Draws You In I had never broken into a car before. I'll do one thing during the day, then spend my off-hours helping people where I can. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting.
I slid the hanger into the windows seal like Id seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame. As I grew, and graduated into the shotgun seat, it became natural and enjoyable to look out the window. Sometimes, I was the poor, defenseless little brother; sometimes I was the omniscient elder. Even though in many ways these sample college essays are very different from one other, they do share some traits you should try to emulate as you write your own essay. But more than punctuality and a special affinity for musical chairs, my family life has taught me to thrive in situations over which I have no power.


text:
Home [english] Region Asia Malaysia End harassment of cartoonist
End harassment of cartoonist Zunar
MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP
(Kuala Lumpur, Paris) The Malaysian government must immediately end the harassment of renowned cartoonist Zunar and drop all charges against him, FIDH and its member organization Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) said today.
"The arbitrary arrest of Zunar is the latest deplorable act of harassment by a government that is intolerant of any form of peaceful dissent. Zunar should never again be harassed or deprived of his liberty for exercising his basic right to freedom of expression."
Dimitris Christopoulos, FIDH President
On 26 November 2016, at approximately 6:00pm, police in George Town, Penang State, detained Zulkifli Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar, under Article 4(1)(c) of the 1948 Sedition Act (publication of 'seditious' material) and Article 504 of the Criminal Code ('intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace'). [1] On the morning of 27 November 2016, the George Town Magistrate's Court approved the police request to remand Zunar for an additional 24 hours for further investigation. However, Zunar was released on the same day at 7:00pm.
Police had arrested Zunar as he reported himself to the Patani Road police station a day after the local ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party's Youth Chief Mohamed Norhiesam Ismail filed a complaint against Zunar in relation to his cartoon exhibit at the George Town Literary Festival, which opened on 25 November 2016. The exhibit featured several cartoons portraying Prime Minister Najib Razak.
On 25 November 2016, at approximately 2:30pm, a mob of about 30 people led by another local UMNO Youth Chief, Rafizal Abdul Rahim, stormed Zunar's exhibit, physically attacked Zunar and took down some of the cartoons on display. Malaysia's riot police, the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), intervened to restore calm. As a result of the attack, Zunar decided to cancel the exhibit, which was expected to run until 27 November 2016.
"Zunar has every right to display the cartoons that have earned him numerous international honors without hindrance by the authorities or pro-government elements. Authorities must respect Zunar's fundamental rights to freedom of expression and freedom of movement and investigate those responsible for the recent mob attack against him."
Sevan Doraisamy, SUARAM Executive Director
The events of 25-27 November are the latest in a series of acts of judicial harassment targeting Zunar.
On 17 October 2016, Malaysian immigration authorities at Kuala Lumpur International Airport prevented Zunar from leaving the country to travel to Singapore. According to Zunar, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar issued the travel ban with effect on 24 June 2016.
On 10 February 2015, Zunar was detained for three days on charges of sedition. The charges under the colonial-era law stemmed from tweets he had posted on the same day, which suggested the Federal Court's decision to uphold the conviction of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim earlier in the day was politically motivated. Zunar's trial is expected to begin on 24 January 2017. If found guilty on all nine counts of sedition, Zunar could be sentenced to 43 years in prison.
In addition, on 28 January 2015, while Zunar was on a speaking tour in the UK, police raided his office in Kuala Lumpur and confiscated 155 copies of two of his publications, "Pirates of the Carry-BN" and "Conspiracy to Imprison Anwar."
Zunar is the recipient of numerous international awards, including the "2016 Cartooning for Peace Award" and the "2015 International Press Freedom Award." He also volunteered to contribute to the FIDH Comic Strip Reports in 2013 and 2015.
Mr. Andrea Giorgetta (English) - Tel: +66 88 6117722 (Bangkok)
Mr. Arthur Manet (French, English, Spanish) - Tel: 33672284294 (Paris)
[1] Article 4(1)(c) of the 1948 Sedition Act states: "Anyone who prints, publishes, sells, offers for sale, distributes or reproduces any seditious publication shall be guilty of an offense and shall, on conviction, be liable for a first offense to a fine not exceeding five thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both […]." Article 504 of the Criminal Code states: "Whoever intentionally insults, and thereby gives provocation to any person, intending or knowing it to be likely that such provocation will cause him to break the public peace, or to commit any other offense, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both."
Member organisations - Malaysia
SUARA RAKYAT MALAYSIA (SUARAM)
Open letter concerning violent threats and 'hate speech' against Rohingya community
Malaysia stumbles on the road to international justice
Mortgaging freedom for security : Arbitrary detention of five HINDRAF leaders


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Sarabeth's to take over Bazzini's Tribeca space
Sep.September 21, 2010 02:30 PM
339 Greenwich Street (source: PropertyShark)
Upper West Side brunch venue Sarabeth's Kitchen signed a 15-year lease for a 9,000-square-foot space at 339 Greenwich Street in Tribeca, replacing Bazzini Nuts, the Observer reported. Open since the 1960s, Bazzini — which makes the peanuts at Yankee Stadium — decided to close its retail location and move its nut factory to the Bronx, after facing competition from the nearby Whole Foods. Sarabeth's opened on Amsterdam Avenue in the 1980s selling homemade jam and baked goods. Peter Braus of Sierra Realty represented both the tenant and landlord, Bazzini Co., along with the Brad Schwarz. The deal was only finalized after an 18-month negotiation process, which was "challenging," Braus said, since landmark approval was needed to alter the upstairs portion of the building, which has been converted into condos. The asking rent was about $100 a square foot, Braus said. Sarabeth's has several other locations in New York City — on the Upper West Side, Upper East Side and Midtown — plus one store in Garden City, NY and another in Key West, Fla. [NYO]
Hudson Yards megadevelopment inspires a new line of sex toys
Ruby Schron lands $500M refi for sprawling Queens apartment portfolio
Wendy Silverstein, co-head of WeWork's real-estate fund, is out
Brokers feeling more upbeat for the first time in a year: REBNY


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WATCH: Tyson Fury throws 'W***ER, HATER' reporter out of presser
A mass of media gathered around Tyson Fury this week in anticipation of asking a few questions regarding his fight with Deontay Wilder.
Fury attempts to take Wilder's WBC heavyweight title in Los Angeles on December 1 when the pair clash in Los Angeles.
Following a few days of press duties, Fury was ready to speak to a clutch of reporters.
One of those was popular YouTuber Elie Seckbach, who is famous for his 'reporting' catchphrase.
Prior to sharing a room with Fury, Seckbach had been vocal in his view on the Wilder fight.
Seckbach had stated Wilder would win and has previously been less than complimentary about Fury's triumph over Wladimir Klitschko.
This led to Fury pushing for Seckbach's exit once he spotted him in the crowd of journalists.
"You can't interview me. See you in a bit. Bye!" said Fury, urging Seckbach to be led out.
"Get him out of here. I don't want him around me. He's a hater. Thank you, Elie. See you in a bit.
"A w***er, that's what Elie is! Get him out of here," he added.
Despite a long absence from the ring and two subsequently lower-key victories, Fury is only a slight underdog with bookmakers.
Citing his taming of Klitschko in 2015, plus the fact he's still undefeated. Fury is given a real shot in the fight.
Speaking on the fight, Fury stated: "This is an important fight for boxing, because it's two undefeated champions facing off.
"There have been people not getting in the ring with top guys for whatever reason, but here you have two fighters stepping up and onto the line.
"It's a pretty easy fight to analyze, Deontay Wilder needs to connect with that big right hand and knock me out, and I need to not let him do that.
"I need to do whatever I can to get out the way of that right hand, and make him worry about defending my punches.
"I already became a unified champion; I've crossed the bridge into the very upper echelon of the sport. This time I'm back and I'm here for good.
"I'm back to reclaim my throne. Even though I've had the tune-up fights, I feel like this is my true comeback fight."


text:
About the Afternoon Edition–
I feel there are some meta aspects about how I choose and present my stories that will enhance your understanding of what you are reading and how you can use it.
I am not Magnifico
News Digest was not my idea and I was but a reluctant contributor and still am. To me it is a mere chore and my real challenge is to systematize my data collection to a sufficient extent that I can concentrate on content, presentation, and organization.
Those of you who have actually been able to experience a real programming environment will appreciate the combination of brief, visual c++, and some useful tools like the greenleaf window (character based) libraries.
Pretty easy to do some data management and prototyping; less so using Microsoft tools if you ask me, but the market has spoken.
In any event by limiting myself to one source of pretty uniform content I'm usually able to reduce my hand formatting and data collection times to a little over 2 hours daily for an output of 30 to 60 stories.
The reason I cut it off at 60 is because as JekyllnHyde has observed there is a limit on essay size, though you can always revise and expand through comments and traffic here has not yet reached the extent that you can't duplicate the effects of pre-posting through pre-organizing (which I have demonstrated on numerous occasions Watson).
Magnifico disagrees with me about the number of stories to present you. He thinks it's distracting and provides more commentary to focus your attention on particular issues.
I think it's more important to keep you in touch with events you're not seeing.
On being a filter
I look at over 500 stories an essay. I choose those I think will interest my audience or outrage them.
One of the reasons I use this source is it's predictive of the content on your typical dead tree daily.
Out of that I deselect the too short to quote and the done to death. If the take of each wire service is significant I include them all without apology. I also follow the forgotten.
Of the categories I originally included I'm no longer tracking the 'mosts' (popular, emailed, and viewed). Science gets it's own section when I remember I'm supposed to do it (like today). Politics is virtually entirely bullshit and you have to harvest your Business section after 6 pm (or better yet between midnight and 6 am) if you want topicality.
And you run out of room.
Presentation and Organization
Oh for HTML Pagemaker.
The colors are rotated to visually distinguish each story for your eyes and draw your attention! They are not at all related to topic.
To the extent that things are organized it's mostly by the order in which they were captured and where. Those are the pink headlines and more importantly the source attributions.
Now if I were more efficient I might improve my organization… or not.
How to use this
Hopefully as illumination! Each selection is intended to inspire it's own essay. Failing that to make you aware of something you've not seen elsewhere or remind you of conventional wisdom.
Sometimes I can't restrain myself, but the commentary is not the message.
Link the source and not me. My reward is the "heh, scooped" I utter whenever Rachel or Keith or any of the Usual Suspects cover my clues.
And don't think I don't gloat.
1 Romanian govt falls on no confidence vote
by Mihaela Rodina, AFP
Tue Oct 13, 11:24 am ET
BUCHAREST (AFP) – Romania's centre-right government collapsed Tuesday after losing a no-confidence vote, plunging the country further into political turmoil as it seeks to exit a deep recession.
It is the first time since the fall of the communist regime at the end of 1989 that a Romanian government has been toppled in such a manner.
With Romania mired in recession and just over a month to go before presidential elections, a total of 254 parliamentary deputies and senators voted to oust Prime Minister Emil Boc and his Liberal-Democrats and 176 voted against, said parliamentary secretary Valeriu Zgonea.
Some Herbal Wonders
By Joy B. in Health Care
A Gentle Way of Healing…
I read with great interest randgrithr's Essay on Swine Flu and encourage her to write more about the "New Dark Ages"!!! Our conversation there reminded me that yeah, I am an herbalist, and maybe I should offer some of what I know to those among us are wondering about how to stay healthy while the Murder-by-Spreadsheet crowd is busy robbing us blind for nothing.
First (I guess) I should say that the "active ingredients" in most drugs – including synthetics – are called alkaloids. Opium, for instance, is an alkaloid. Alkaloids are chemical compounds that contain nitrogen, which gives them an alkaline base. Life from bacteria to fungi to plants and animals all produce alkaloid compounds, usually extracted via an acidic extraction method. Quinine, cocaine and nicotine are further examples, as are a great many of the compounds identified as "active" in other natural sources that end up getting synthesized by Big Pharma and sold for way too much money to sick people who can't afford it.
The difference between synthetic drugs and natural herbal remedies is significant. When you use an herbal extract or tea, you're also getting a host of associated natural compounds that can boost the effects and/or dampen harmful effects. Plus, natural compounds come in the proper chirality for life, thus are readily absorbed by the body and put to good use. Synthetics often have backwards compounds that life can't use, and these are either useless or harmful depending on what it is you're using and how it is put to use in your body.
Allopathic Medicine, Healing, Health, life
Turns Out It Is Not The Republicans After All
By buhdydharma
Simulposted at Daily Kos
For the eight years of the Bush Reign Of Terror when America passed an obscene tax break for the Rich, invaded a country to capture Osama bin Laden…and didn't, and then abandoned THAT war and invaded another country with no real evidence that it was threat, (even though they tortured a bunch of people to get them to say that there was a connection between Al Qaeda and Iraq and had to manufacture piles of "evidence" and make Colin Powell lie to the UN) corrupted the United States Department of Justice to shield themselves from investigations, and politicized scientific information to prevent any progress on Climate Crisis, and appointed toadies and lackeys to the SEC and every other regulatory agency while repealing or ignoring key financial regulations that eventually led to a worldwide economic meltdown….during which the rich ALSO grew richer…
Life was simple.
UPDATED. Golden Sacks: 23 billion in bonuses, pays only 14 million in taxes
By Inky99
So Goldman Sacks is making big fat gobs of money off the financial crisis.
It plans to give out $23 billion, yes, that's billion with a B, in "bonuses" (hm, we used to call that "embezzlement") for it's beloved employees hard work in milking a failing US economy to the ridiculous benefit of The Firm.
Last year, Goldman Sacks paid only 14 million dollars in taxes. Worldwide.
Okay, what is wrong with this picture ….?
And why can't the government do something about it?
Oh right. The government is owned by Golden Sacks. Geithner? Nobody can get him on the phone EXCEPT for Golden Sacks. They call him all they want, and he calls them, too. They're BFF's!
How much is $23 Billion dollars?
For one thing, it's enough to send 460,000 full paying students to Harvard University for one year, or 115,000 for four years.
It's enough to pay the health insurance premium for the average American family ($13,375) 1.7 million times.
It's enough to upgrade 191 million computers to Windows 7 operating system (priced at $119.99), or to buy 115 million iPhones at $199.99 (provided the recipient was willing to sign a two-year contract).
Or, apparently, it's enough to reward the employees of Goldman Sachs for a bonanza trading year, at a firm where average employee compensation was recently $622,000 — and likely to be greater this year.
The $23 billion figure could leave some American taxpayers woozy — the US government bailed out Goldman Sachs with a multi-billion payment last year, which the firm has since repaid.
But while Goldman is likely to pay its biggest bonuses ever to employees, the firm pays very little in taxes worldwide. In 2008, the company was said to have paid just $14 million in taxes worldwide, and paid $6 billion in 2007.
The firm's corporate tax rate? About 1 percent. According a prominent tax lawyer, "They have taken steps to ensure that a lot of their income is earned in lower-tax jurisdictions."
A 1 percent tax rate?
This is the very epitome of "laughing all the way to the bank".
I suppose it's good to be King. And the King of the world right now is Goldman Sachs.
They own the place.
corporatism, corruption, Financial Bailout, gangsterism, Piracy, robbery, The Sopranos of finance
Buffy Sainte-Marie, Gentle Activist
On this past Sunday evening, I sat with my daughter, a 7th grader, and went over homework with her. She needed colored pencils to complete an assignment for History. Teacher had talked to them about Columbus Day and the homework was to draw… the faux version of history taught to the poor leetle 5th graders on one page, and divided by the spiral bound, the true version on the other. (scans below in comments.LL) She colored while I read aloud to her from Zinn. I know she is in a great (public) school, gifted and all that, plus an IB program, but still … maybe there is hope if middle school curriculum is embracing some truth in its history classes. Buffy St. Marie knows a thing or two about that concept.
Democracy NOW! aired a full hour yesterday evening with Buffy St. Marie. I only caught a few minutes of it while I was in my car, but I found the links as soon as I got back home, so I thought I'd share here in essay form. PLEASE take the time to go view/read transcript there.
She kind of made me cry a little.
Activism, education, music, Native American
Docudharma Times Tuesday October 13
By mishima
Tuesday's Headlines:
Congress Is Split on Effort to Tax Costly Health Plans
Decline of a tribe: and then there were five
Support Troops Swelling U.S. Force in Afghanistan
Memoir of a former abortion addict
Srebrenica: the search for a terrible truth goes on
British orphans adopted by Italian aristocracy fight for £1bn inheritance
Pakistani army facing threat from Punjabi, al-Qaida and Taliban militants
China court sentences six Uighurs to death
Britain steps up pressure on Iran with trading ban on big companies
Iraqis arrest former top aide in Saddam's regime
China tightens grip on Africa with $4.4bn lifeline for Guinea junta
In Egypt and Saudi Arabia, succession looms
Docudharma Times
Iowa NAACP head needs a history lesson
By desmoinesdem in GLBT
Sioux City businessman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats got a surprising endorsement on Monday from Keith Ratliff, pastor of the Maple Street Missionary Baptist Church in Des Moines and president of the Iowa-Nebraska chapter of the NAACP.
Vander Plaats was the front-runner in the Republican field until former Governor Terry Branstad entered the race. Ratliff said Vander Plaats' position on same-sex marriage rights was "an important factor" in his endorsement.
2010 Elections, Bob Vander Plaats, Chet Culver, gay marriage, GOP primary, Governor, IA-Gov, Iowa, Iowa Supreme Court, Keith Ratliff, LGBT, marriage equality, NAACP, Republican primary, same-sex marriage, Terry Branstad, Varnum v Brien
By desmoinesdem
Warping Out:
Late Night Karaoke
Native American Day in South Dakota (Irony & Vulcan Proverbs)
By BentLiberal
(Also available in Orange at Daily Kos)
Ironically, it's Native American Day in South Dakota, but not in the United States as a whole.
South Dakota History
In 1989 the South Dakota legislature unanimously passed legislation proposed by Governor George S. Mickelson to proclaim 1990 as the "Year of Reconciliation" between Native Americans and whites, to change Columbus Day to Native American Day and to make Martin Luther King's birthday into a state holiday. Since 1990 the second Monday in October has been celebrated as Native American Day in South Dakota.
Perhaps it's time for a new twist on that old saying in United States poltics – As California South Dakota goes, so goes the nation.
Or to put it another way, why is South Dakota so far ahead of the rest of the country in recognizing there's a problem and seeking to rectify it?
American Indians, Columbus Day, Indians, Native American Day, Native Americans
Overnight Caption Contest
occ, Rahm Emanuel


It is time to give up.
It is time to give up on everything that holds you back.
We have become our own worst enemies. Nobody in life will ever hurt us as much as we hurt ourselves, and as consequence, as a race, we have become numb and rendered ourselves lost in the attempt to discover love.
The irony was, love was never discovered but created. We create it in every moment. When you read this text, when you look at an artwork and when you love your partner. Love is flowing through you and shared.
You participate in love, as you participate in life.
So what holds us back? What holds you back? Please let me know.
In the past what has held me back personally was the idea of projection. I projected (and still become aware of this process today) all over somebody else and everybody else. That there was "stuff" going on inside me that I was not aware of, nor ready to be aware of, so my body projected it onto somebody else.
I found myself projecting all over people. Anything that I disliked or felt uncomfortable about with somebody else was what I felt uncomfortable about myself.
So this is why, more than anything else, I talk about self-love. Self-love is not the idea of attempting to make yourself feel good, which allows sometimes for only momentary relief, but the allowance of your authentic self to breath through your life. To allow yourself to feel pain, love, joy, hurt, jealousy. When you allow yourself to feel it, you not only shed layers, but you access deeper parts of you. Those parts pass, those hurtful experiences that were associated with them almost fade away instantly. It is impossible to remember past trauma when the relating emotion is no longer there. If the "root cause" or "root pain" is no longer being experienced, all the associated memories also fade.
You learn to forgive yourself. You learn to love yourself. You learn to surrender to your higher self. Your inner self. Your true self.
So it is time to shed layers.
This week, in association to this movement in the hearts of people, I have produced a video to go alongside this. To help people understand the shedding of layers. Emotional layers.
It is time to shed layers.