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Standing Trial: F.E.A.R. 3
F.E.A.R. 3 stands trial, accused of being one of the biggest disappointments in gaming. Is this valid, or does F.E.A.R. 3 deserve a second look?
Morgan Shaver
Standing Trial is a series of features from the team at AllGamers. With each Standing Trial case, Chris, Henry, and Morgan will pick a gaming flop and dissect what went wrong. One of us will come to the game's defense, while the other two will act as judge, jury, and – in some cases – executioner. Previous defenses have included Evolve but this Halloween week it's up to Morgan to defend supernatural shooter threequel F.E.A.R. 3.
The original F.E.A.R. from 2005 is a horror classic that dared to be different by presenting itself as a shooter where the supernatural antagonist, Alma, isn't a direct opponent. Instead, she's a presence in the backdrop, popping up at inconvenient moments while you attempt to take down Armacham soldiers and the elusive Paxton Fettel.
The balance between shooter and horror is executed perfectly in F.E.A.R., though it goes downhill the farther into the series you go, especially when you get to F.E.A.R. 3. One of the things I loved most about the F.E.A.R. series is that its characters all have fleshed out backstories.
Alma isn't a creepy little girl for the sake of playing upon tropes found in Japanese horror like Ringu, her presentation makes sense once you dig into Armacham files and learn her tragic backstory. Meanwhile, the character you control in F.E.A.R. and F.E.A.R. 3 (referred to as Point Man), has a backstory as well that connects to both Alma and Paxton Fettel.
In F.E.A.R., you learn the origins of Point Man and Paxton Fettel. In F.E.A.R. 2, you learn more about Alma who begins to present herself differently: older and naked. I'm still torn over the use of "sexy Alma" in F.E.A.R. 2 after seeing her as a child in the original game but, you know, we're not here to drag F.E.A.R. 2.
Using F.E.A.R. 2's strange and disturbing ending as a jumping off point, we were given F.E.A.R. 3 in 2011. Almost a decade later, I cringe thinking about how optimistic I was about the game prior to release. I genuinely thought it would reconcile the differences between the first two games based on what was shown in the teaser trailers.
Paxton and Point Man joining forces to stop Mama Alma? I was fully on board. Sadly, things didn't go quite as planned. The game didn't just kill Alma, it killed the entire series. As bad as this sounds (and it sounds pretty damn bad), I still don't think F.E.A.R. 3 is quite as awful as most people suggest… here's why.
From living up to the original F.E.A.R. to following some of the missteps in F.E.A.R. 2, F.E.A.R. 3 had a lot on its plate.
© Day 1 Studios
Members of the jury, I stand in defense of F.E.A.R. 3, a game with a solid concept that failed to stick the landing. What it failed in gameplay, level design, and cohesion, it made up for in story. It's unfair to drag F.E.A.R. 3 through the mud because it had a lot riding on its shoulders.
It was expected to return the series to its origins in F.E.A.R., all while mending the misdirection from F.E.A.R. 2. It also had to hold its own against other games coming out that year. Looking back, 2011 was a powerful year for gaming with releases like Batman: Arkham City, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Dark Souls, Gears of War 3, Dragon Age II, and Dead Space 2.
Compared to any of those games, it's easy to peg F.E.A.R. 3 as straight trash, especially to those walking in with a sour taste from F.E.A.R. 2. I truly believe that F.E.A.R. 2 is the reason for F.E.A.R. 3's failings. The developers couldn't ignore where the story left off with the ending between Becket and Alma (and their unborn baby), so they incorporated these elements into F.E.A.R. 3.
To try and return to the original game, they also brought Paxton Fettel back. It was too much to tie together, all while attempting to offer the same style of gameplay from the original. How could you show young Alma again after F.E.A.R. 2? After knowing what happened to her (and her children), it makes sense that the real antagonist should be Harlan Wade.
Of course, the issue there is how can you make Harlan Wade scary in a supernatural sense, like Alma? F.E.A.R 3 tried, and while it might've failed in ways, I don't think you can fault the developers for their efforts.
When it comes to what went wrong with F.E.A.R. 3, the co-op, gameplay, and level design are clear weak points.
I will agree with critics who pan F.E.A.R. 3's gameplay. The shooting feels fine and the guns feel responsive, but their power makes tense moments feel watered down. You never feel like you're in real danger, especially when playing co-op with Paxton Fettel. Fettel is dead this time around, so he doesn't have to worry about taking combat damage like Point Man.
Plus, he has overpowered psychic abilities, and doesn't have to think about pedestrian things like managing guns and ammo. To be fair, I like the idea of bringing Fettel back and attempting to reinvigorate the series with something new. Fettel's style of play is fun, I'll give it that. I just wish there had been more elements of strategy, even more push-and-pull between Fettel and Point Man.
The co-op felt barebones and if you're going to add co-op, you really need to put the time in. Other areas where the lack of time can be seen include the levels. F.E.A.R. 3 has the poorest, cheapest examples of level design out of all three games in the series. Everything feels bland, boring, and stale.
Even the A.I. in F.E.A.R. 3 takes a step back from the groundbreaking A.I of the first game and unique enemy encounters in the second game. F.E.A.R. 3's gameplay is bad, and I hate making excuses for it. However, I feel like with WB Games publishing F.E.A.R. 3, there was likely pressure put on the developers to get the game out in a timely manner. In this case, two years' worth of crunch after the release of F.E.A.R. 2.
Had the developers been given another year or two to polish all aspects of the game (particularly gameplay, co-op, and level design), I have no doubt that it would have fared better. I don't think it ever stood a chance at surpassing the original, but at the very least, it should have been given more time to fix what went wrong with F.E.A.R. 2.
You can't mend all of the issues that F.E.A.R. 2 created in the span of two years. Big messes require more time to clean up.
Harlan Wade is the real antagonist in the F.E.A.R. series.
Ok, so if we're defending F.E.A.R. 3, what did it do right? Why is it worth defending? I think F.E.A.R. 3 did a lot more for the story of the series than people give it credit for. I like how the developers revisit the connection between estranged brothers Point Man and Fettel, and show how their relationship fractured in the first place.
I like that we get further emphasis that Harlan Wade (Alma's father) is the real enemy of the series. None of the events from the original F.E.A.R. all the way to F.E.A.R. 3 would have happened had Harlan not offered up his own daughter to Armacham. Seriously, how much of an evil asswipe can one fictional character be?
Not only did Armacham use Alma for her psychic abilities, they impregnated her at the age of 15 and forced her to give birth to Point Man, and then again with Paxton Fettel at the age of 16.
Harlan Wade never bat an eye at the gross mistreatment of his daughter Alma, and in F.E.A.R. 3, he continues the cycle of abuse with his grandchildren, Point Man and Fettel. More so with Fettel because he's shown to have psychic powers like Alma, making him more valuable to Armacham than Point Man.
As you play F.E.A.R. 3, you get to see the holding room with Point Man and Fettel change. In the beginning they play together like normal children. By the end, they're completely torn apart. Fettel frantically draws all over the floors, the walls. Point Man looks lost and at times frightened by how his brother is changing. It makes sense on both ends.
Point Man doesn't understand what's going on with Fettel, he's just a child. Fettel doesn't understand why he's being singled out for abuse. As the two make their way through levels together as adults in F.E.A.R. 3, they get the opportunity to talk with one another in a semi-normal manner. This, combined with the flashbacks we get, help you form a deeper connection to them.
Point Man isn't just a nameless protagonist who can shoot and slow time, he's an abused child who has the burden of knowing he killed his own brother (in the original F.E.A.R.). Fettel is similar to Alma where both have done bad things, but did those things because they were abused as children.
The final boss battle against the Creep version of Harlan Wade feels powerful in that Point Man and Fettel get to rise up and defeat this monstrous shadow that has caused them so much pain and trauma. It's symbolic of the two characters being able to move forward and bury the past.
Yes, things get a little wonky when the two actually reach Alma. I hate that the "bad" ending with Paxton Fettel tears his redemption arc to pieces. By the end, you kind of like Paxton Fettel (despite how twisted he is), and if you get his ending things fall apart. I like to think of the Point Man ending as the true ending because it fits the narrative of growth and rebirth.
Fettel and Alma both disappear, and Point Man silently vows to care for and raise his newborn sibling. You get the feeling he's being given the chance to raise this child how he, Fettel, and Alma should have been raised… with love. It's a beautiful way to bring closure to the F.E.A.R. storyline and for this reason, I really enjoy F.E.A.R. 3.
The story helps make up for everything the game got wrong in F.E.A.R. 2, which is no easy task. In a nutshell, the original F.E.A.R. is perfect and I'm holding out for a remake, F.E.A.R. 2 screwed up the story but the gameplay was fun, and F.E.A.R. 3 had the worst gameplay but the story was handled perfectly.
Together, the series is one of my all-time favorites. It's not without glaring flaws, but the story is one of the best pieces of video game "literature" out there. You can't have a good story without a good ending, and F.E.A.R. 3 offered just that… well, at least with the Point Man ending. We'll pretend the Fettel ending never happened.
F.E.A.R. 3 offers closure to its troubled characters.
F.E.A.R. 3 had no chance to live up to the original F.E.A.R, especially after the disaster that was F.E.A.R. 2. How do you follow Alma forcing herself on Becket and becoming insta-preggo, all before the credits roll? How do you make a series "serious" again after a line about free pizza at an anime convention?
Too much was placed on the shoulders of F.E.A.R. 3 and the developers weren't given nearly enough time to complete everything. With what little time they were given, they decided to take care of what they saw as truly important for a "final" game, the story.
I agree with this decision, and even though I'm sad things like co-op and level design were done so poorly, I appreciate the closure they brought to the main characters. These characters, who had endured so much trauma and abuse, deserve the "Point Man" ending F.E.A.R. 3 provided where they were all able to find some semblance of peace.
As a gamer, I agree that F.E.A.R. 3 isn't the best game as far as games go. As a writer and someone who enjoys a good story, I disagree that F.E.A.R. 3 is a "disappointment" to fans of the series.
The story has always been phenomenal with the original twist ending that you are Alma's child and Fettel is your brother, and the second game showing how Alma came to be the antagonist. The third and final game wraps all of these things up in a way that makes sense. It's not the best, it's not the worst, F.E.A.R. 3 is simply an alright game that also happens to offer a damn good story.
The defense rests its case.
Henry: The sins of our fathers, eh? How does a studio measure up to the critical acclaim of F.E.A.R. while avoiding the mess of narrative and design in the sequel? They don't, as it turns out. The team behind F.E.A.R. 3 deserves credit for even attempting to reconcile and give closure the bizarre plot of the second game, but should they really have even tried? F.E.A.R. 3 struggled to find an identity under the weight of that which came before it; unable to shrug off the tendrils of horror from the first, or the unwise story choices of the second to become the co-op action gorefest it so sorely wished to be. As a fan of mystery, I also wish games would be content to leave details unexplained. Indeed, I'm not sure I can ever truly forgive a studio for attempting a deep dive into the character of a silent protagonist who's literally named Point Man, no matter how well told.
With that said, I can entirely understand the defense's love of lengthy horror game plots. As a long-term Resident Evil fan, I still argue that the amusing character interactions were well worth the slog of playing Resi 6 through. And while it's certainly troubled, there is heart on display in F.E.A.R. 3's story (provided you get the right ending). It was far from a travesty, just another troubled sequel unable to measure up to its lineage. To that end I suggest an early release to the House of Guilty Pleasures pending one condition: Should F.E.A.R. ever return to the public eye, let it be in tribute to the greatness of the original, and not the confused offspring it left behind.
Chris: I think the defense nailed it during opening statements when pointing out the year F.E.A.R. 3 arrived. In 2011 with Batman: Arkham City, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Dark Souls, Gears of War 3, Dragon Age II, and Dead Space 2 the only original blockbuster was Dark Souls, which changed the face of action RPGs as we know them. In amongst that sequel fatigue that gripped the early 2010s, you have this threequel from a story that should have finished the decade before if not for some truly baffling writing at the end. My main gripe with F.E.A.R. 3 isn't that it was bad, it's that it was bad on top of bad. And who among us can honestly say we've never made things worse by trying to fix a mistake?
I'd be inclined to agree with Henry in a lenient sentence, but then I spotted that Halloween director, composer and all-round cinematic legend John Carpenter was mired in the mediocrity of F.E.A.R. 3 and now I'm just angry. Jail for one thousand years.
Morgan is a writer, indie game lover, and socially awkward coffee addict. Need something? Morgan can be reached at morgan.shaver@allgamers.com or if you like, you can say hello using GIFs on Twitter.
Standing Trial


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Q: pop-up new tab in browser for displays another aspx page in vb.net I need to open a pop-up new tab in browser for displays another aspx page After trigger button click event(Html5).
I have found many ways to do this in JavaScript, but haven't been able to find a way to do it using VB.Net.
Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        //How to implement code
End Sub

A: Use window.open with _blank as a parameter. For example:
Dim s As String = "window.open('" & url & "', '_blank');"

Hope this helps!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We are a small friendly Bath-based interiors company, and we are very proud to show you our work and what we do. You can read our story here, and follow our Marmalade House style and what we like on our Pinterest account and current social media sites linked below.
We are happy to help with your projects and ideas. Call us to discuss your plans, or arrange for a quotation, book online for one of our specialist courses, or browse our unique homewares on our online shop.
We look forward to welcoming you to our Marmalade world of interiors.
Our work is inspired by the things we love, wherever in the world they may be, and we strive to protect and respect our sources and the people we work with.


Most folks I know have complained about an autocorrect error at some point. There's all kinds of potential for havoc when your smart phone transforms something you typed – perhaps with a minor typo – into something wildly different from what you meant. If you don't catch the smart phone's mistake before you hit send, maybe a friend is amused, or maybe someone you don't know very well is confused or insulted.
At the same time, I don't know many folks who turn autocorrect off. I'm sure there are some who haven't thought to try. But I've turned it off, and just as quickly turned it back on again. It's worth more trouble than it causes.
But it's a form of input that requires attention, and interrupts your train of thought. Sure, you might make a mistake typing on a regular keyboard on your computer that doesn't have AutoCorrect if you're flying along, or not paying close attention. But if you slow down a bit, or make sure to look if you don't touch type, you're generally confident of what you're typing.
And typos are easily fixed after-the-fact. Autocorrect errors are sometimes so far off from what you said that meaning is obliterated. So you may lose something if you're not paying attention all the time.
So there are two troubles with autocorrect errors – you never know when one is going to hit, and it might be catastrophic. So to avoid these risks you always have to pay extra attention. This raises the anxiety level a bit and can get tiring.
Adding to that, when a mistake does happen, it interrupts your thought process as you notice it, switch your focus to correcting it, then get back to what you were doing. Imagine if you're going for a bike ride, and at random times you have to get off your bike – just for a few seconds. It's not as enjoyable an experience.
I know this feeling well. This is similar to speech input, which also requires extra attention to to make sure the computer doesn't make odd wording errors on your behalf. I've been using speech input for a long time. There are pluses and minuses, and I've been using it long enough that I can take good advantage of the pluses and mitigate the minuses. And recognition has gotten faster and more accurate over the years. But I still have to watch carefully to make sure that the machine doesn't make a mistake. And that still takes brainpower.
I don't have a particularly good conclusion. There's a big cost to the interruption and attention leaks that smartphone typing and speech input bring about, and I'd like to be able to avoid them. Autocorrect and speech input will slowly get better, cutting down on the interruptions.
But I'd like to see better solutions faster.
It would help a bit to click on an autocorrect error and see the original. This would let you fly along and then proof later without the risk of losing information. The same goes for an easy way to hear your original input for speech. Technically speaking, you can do this with desktop speech, but it's awkward enough that it's not practical.
I think interruptions to the flow of our thoughts are on the rise in many quarters, including more pervasive advertising. It'd be nice to have practical ways to be able to fully focus on putting words into a computer without the computer itself interrupting.


- Building for rent, Saris Main road, 16 bed rooms, furnished, Addis Ababa.
Building for rent, Saris Main road, 16 bed rooms, furnished, Addis Ababa. It is located on main road to Debrezeit, and it has 16 bed rooms with their own shower rooms, three offices, cafe and restaurant space with two kitchens and store, and reception area. The rate is negotiable and includes VAT.
Building for rent, Saris Main road, 16 bed rooms, furnished, Addis Ababa.


She says she has always worked believes in eating clean and making good food choices. LA receives plenty of emails and direct messages asking how she stays so fit.
Check it out. There's more to know about LA Love The Boss.
Check out the Ventures In Fitness, Fashion, Music, Modeling interview here.
Be the first to comment on "LA Love the Boss in New Project, Music Meets Fitness"


June is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month. There is an interesting article in today's Huffington Post Healthy Living by Dr. Lloyd Sederer about how to care for a loved one who suffers from PTSD. Dr. Sederer is the medical director of New York State's Office of Mental Health (OMH) and past mental health commissioner for New York City. He is also the author of THE FAMILY GUIDE TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE (W.W. Norton & Company Hardcover; April 2013).
Book Culture in New York City invited Nancy Colier to talk about her new book, INVITING A MONKEY TO TEA: Befriending Your Mind and Discovering Lasting Contentment.


Hello. I am a developer and I want to know important things to create better software for test case management.
0: Do you use a test case management system? If not what do you use instead?
1: Does it really help you to solve your problems? What the problems do you have unless it is?
2: What you don't like in the systems?
4: What do you really want to have in this systems?
0. Yes. But also I use various text editors, mind maps, Google Spreadsheets as checklists + categorization + comments etc.
1. It stores some information, and presents it in structured way, but I wouldn't say that it is very helpful.
2. А) It is pretty rigid. B) Interface is a bit outdated and somewhat slow C) The more information you put there, the more inconvenient and less responsive it becomes structure becomes hard to browse (and you have problems filtering that), search may fail.
to be more or less responsive; do not depend on IE/Edge/other Microsoft products (sorry, but they are not the fastest); ability to structure and categorize information ; hyperlinks can be put in information fields, basic formatting can be put too.
And don't forget about response time. Users don't fall in love with unresponsive systems, but they praise software which responds quickly.


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Milkha continues to be stable, shifted out of ICU; wife admitted with COVID pneumonia
By PTI - 26 May 2021 3:17 PM GMT
Chandigarh, May 26: Legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh "continues to be stable on oxygen support" and he was on Wednesday shifted out of the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital where he is being treated for COVID pneumonia, indicating signs of improvement in his condition.
However, his 82-year-old wife Nirmal Kaur, a former India volleyball captain, was on Wednesday admitted to the same hospital in Mohali after testing positive for COVID pneumonia. Mr Milkha Singh continues to be stable on oxygen support. However, he is weak and we are trying to persuade him to increase his food intake, Fortis hospital in Mohali said in an update.
Today, we have stepped him down from the ICU to a room which he is sharing with his wife Mrs Nirmal Milkha Singh who was admitted earlier in the day with Covid pneumonia. "Both are being closely monitored."
Kaur had earlier returned negative when all of Milkha's family members were tested for the virus. Milkha was admitted to the ICU after testing positive for the virus last Wednesday. He was diagnosed with "COVID pneumonia" on the same day of his admission. He is suspected to have contracted the infection from house helps who had tested positive for the virus.
The legendary athlete is a four-time Asian Games gold-medallist and 1958 Commonwealth Games champion but his greatest performance was the fourth place finish in the 400m final of the 1960 Rome Olympics. His timing at the Italian capital remained the national record for 38 years till Paramjeet Singh broke it in 1998. He also represented India in the 1956 and 1964 Olympics and was bestowed the Padma Shri in 1959

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Ninja Theory have just released a brand new update for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice on the PC and PS4. This update finally fixes a major game breaking bug that could affect the progress of the player rendering their save data useless.
The patch notes for this new update are rather large as Ninja Theory has implemented a whole host of new fixes for the game across the PC and PS4. The full patch notes can be read below while the update is also available for download now on the PC and PS4.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is available now for the PC and PS4. You can read out review of the game from here.


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Q: C# 8.0 Nullable, How to indicate method checks for null Say I have a method that starts like this, where we use a method to check for null and other validations.
If I do that, the compiler still complains about a possible null reference exception in the lines of code that follow.
Is there a way to make it so it doesn't?
For instance, using String.IsNullOrEmpty or String.IsNullOrWhitespace seems to indicate to the compiler that the value has been checked.
Can I do that with my own methods?
public static void Apply(string imagePath, string texturePath, string outputPath, bool isPreviewImage, double? dpi, Color distressedColor)
{
    // check each param for not null
    StringParameter.ThrowIfNoValue(imagePath, nameof(imagePath));
    StringParameter.ThrowIfNoValue(texturePath, nameof(texturePath));
    StringParameter.ThrowIfNoValue(outputPath, nameof(outputPath));

    // how do I make the compiler understand that "imagePath" cannot be null
    var request = WebRequest.Create(imagePath);
}

static class StringParameter
{
    // is there a way to mark this method to the compiler so it understands that the value cannot be null when use beyond this method call?
    internal static void ThrowIfNoValue(string value, string name)
    {
        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(value ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(name)))
            throw new ArgumentException("Must have a value", name);
    }
}


I was reading the Toronto Metro today and came across an interesting article detailing the maturation of the Canadian gaming industry.
According to the Game Developer magazine research cited in the article, the "average programmer or game producer in Canada now makes more than $70,000 US". While high, Canadian employers still pay lower salaries than their US counterparts.
Figures are also given for artists, animators and game designers - they each take home approximately $58,000 on average. Audio techs rake in $57,000 a year, and those poor QA workers make the lowest at $37,000 US.
What's also interesting is to read that Canadian video game employers are increasing requiring job applicants to have post-secondary degrees as a requirement for employment.
It's great to see the industry in Canada mature from the garage developer roots of the 70s and early 80s to the highly skilled professional industry we have today. With acclaimed developers such as Bioware, Silicon Knights, Ubisoft, EA and many more, Canada is becoming a hotbed for rapid video game industry growth.
Video game development is growing in this country with the help of our government because they hand out tax breaks in ontario, quebec and bc.
It's too bad the pay is so low for game developers. I'm a senior engineer who would love to be making games (again) but I earn well over $100K now and don't work nearly as hard as game developers. It's too darn bad!


It may be hard for a young man to get into the world of business, but it may be as hard, or even harder, to follow the rules this world demands. Especially if your entire closet is full of casual T-shirts and blue denim jeans. Here are some simple rules you should follow and give your wardrobe a complete makeover into 9 to 5 style.
The first rule of business is to own a lot of white and blue shirts. Especially at the beginning while you are still exploring your style and experimenting with colours. You simply cannot go wrong with white and blue. When it comes to Casual Fridays, which almost any company today incorporates to chill down a bit, you can replace your shirt with a polo shirt as well.
Forget about (ultra casual) fashion trends in the world of business. Except for very casual Fridays, when dark fitted jeans are allowed, trousers are a day to day must have. No matter the colour, trousers can be easily combined with buttoned shirts and are very thankful for meetings, so make sure to have a couple of classically styled trousers in your closet. Whether you liked it or not, you are going to look (a bit) older in them, but as it turns out – you will get a significant portion of respect in return.
We have come to your toes, that is feet. Forget about casual sneakers, because it is high time you find appropriate footwear for your office. Since there are some people who (still) judge a man by his shoes, you have to pay special attention to your footwear. And brace yourself, because they are going to be expensive. If you want to get the best fit, you can have them handcrafted and enjoy the comfort in every step you make. And what is best about leather shoes is that they are going to last for years, so that little investment will eventually pay off.
And last, but not the least, what every businessman must have is – a suit. As it turns out, nobody will take you seriously unless you suit up. Especially in important meetings or when meeting foreign clients. There are two options you can go for to get (at least) one: a classic black trousers and jacket in combination with different ties, which you can easily get in a clothes shop, or hiring someone to make one perfect fit just for your size. You can also choose custom tailored suits online and have the most perfect suit made according to the size of your every limb and bone.
And finally, do not forget that once of the crucial things businessmen have is the attitude. Of course, you do not have to look strict when you are not, but if you add a touch of mystery in your look and have a firm handshake, anyone would like to become your partner.


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Filtering by Tag: national sexual violence resource center
Sexual Assault Awareness Month: It's On Us, It's In Us
April 07, 2015 Root Barrett
My story closely mirrors the story of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). They are both about activism. I was raised by activists and teachers. Some people (like my mother) would say that I have always had an agenda. SAAM definitely has an agenda to prevent sexual violence. Working at the National Sexual Violence Resource, I am inspired by the activist stories I hear every day, but many people still feel very alone in this work. Digital storytelling is a vehicle for sexual assault prevention activists to capture their histories and build new futures.
categories Voices from Around the Table
tags sexual assault awareness month, national sexual assault awareness month, endVAW, #30daysofSAAM, national sexual violence resource center, sexual violence, activism, SAAM
It's time to talk and to listen – by Sally J. Laskey, National Sexual Violence Resource Center
April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and National Child Abuse Prevention Month in the U.S. I remember a time when Sexual Assault Awareness Month was mostly about talking for me. As a social justice activist trying to end sexual violence, there certainly has been a lot to talk about. I can still feel the vibrations from the first Speak Out against rape that I ever attended. Indeed, it moved me to continue to tell stories of resilience and resistance. I believe stories have power. Sharing them promotes healing.
tags national sexual assault awareness month, sexual assault awareness month, sexual assault, national child abuse prevention month, child abuse prevention month, child abuse, sexual violence, social justice, gender based violence, gbv, speak out, speak out against rape, national sexual violence resource center, nsvrc, center for digital storytelling, storycenter, trauma, silence speaks dvd, digital storytelling, digital story, storytelling, story, narrative, writing, voice, saam, public health, webinar, Sally J- Laskey, SAAM, #30daysofSAAM, National Child Abuse Prevention Month
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ALL WHEEL DRIVE! LT PACKAGE! LIFETIME POWERTRAIN WARRANTY INCLUDED!
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text:
=========================
Contributor Modules Index
=========================

These modules are experimental additions to Hy. Once deemed mature,
they will be moved to the ``hy.extra`` namespace or loaded by
default.

Contents:

.. toctree::
   :maxdepth: 3

   loop
   multi
   profile
   sequences
   walk
   hy_repr
   future

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


6x6 paper pack from British printer Wild Rose Studio. These paper packs come in a variety of themes and are a great program for card making. Includes 12 different designs with 3 sheets of each. Paper is acid-free and lignin-free.


text:
Microfabricated Devices For Direct Measurements Of Quantal Transmitter Release From Living Cells
bnk25.pdf (14.93Mb)
Kim, Brian
Neurotransmitters are released in packets or quanta from vesicles that fuse with the cell membrane. The machinery proteins called Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor Attachment Protein Receptor (SNARE) proteins are known to mediate the vesicle fusion. The quantal release of neurotransmitters from fusion of single vesicles can be monitored using an electrochemical electrode by the oxidation of neurotransmitters which cause a transfer of electrons into the electrode. The resulting oxidation current reveals amperometric spikes that provide information about the frequency of release events, the number of released transmitter molecules from a single vesicle (quantal size) and the kinetics of quantal release events. While carbon fiber electrode (CFE) is most widely used as an electrochemical electrode, microfabricated planar electrodes made of platinum or gold are being developed as a more convenient way to interface with cells. Also, large arrays of planar electrodes can be easily fabricated, which enable high-throughput recording from living cells. In this dissertation, microfabricated devices for direct measurements of transmitter secretion from living cells are introduced. Sensing electrodes can be fabricated on the surface of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits (IC), which incorporate all the essential signal processing circuits in the chip. Such post-processing of CMOS chips is called post-fabrication. Using IC technology and post-fabrication, an electrochemical sensor array was developed that is capable of 100 parallel recordings. The IC sensor array was able to directly interface with living chromaffin cells to measure the quantal release of neurotransmitter. The biosensor was capable of resolving small (0.7 pA) and fast amperometric spikes reporting release from individual vesicles. The effect of a Parkinson's disease drug called L-dopa was tested using the IC biosensor. The amperometric recordings of L-dopa treated cells revealed an increase in the amount of neurotransmitters release per vesicle by 73% which agrees with the known effect of L-dopa. An alternative and improved post-fabrication technique called tape-off is demonstrated in the following chapter. Tape-off is a dry and self-aligning method, which does not rely on photolithography for microfabrication and exhibits an excellent production yield and time reduction. Post-fabricated biosensor arrays with up to 320 electrodes exhibited stable performance with an electrolyte in contact and successfully measured oxidation of dopamine molecules. Measurement of quantal neurotransmitter release from living cells using the biosensor array fabricated using the tape-off method was demonstrated. Other potential applications of this new technique are discussed. In chapter 4, a portable and cost effective data acquisition system for the IC biosensor is presented that incorporates analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and universal serial bus (USB)-communication. This data acquisition system outperforms other commercially available ADCs and allows the portable operation of the IC biosensor as it is fully powered through the USB connection. The functionality of the complete system was validated by measuring and storing dopamine oxidation data from the IC biosensor array. Finally, the use of a conducting polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), is used as detecting electrode material is demonstrated. Various architectures were evaluated to optimize the performance of PEDOT:PSS microelectrodes in direct contact with electrolyte and cells and the successful recording of the neurotransmitter oxidation released from chromaffin cells is shown. This result represents a new capability for organic electronics that could lead to devices that interface nervous system in novel ways with unique properties of polymer such as softness.
Biosensor; Exocytosis; CMOS Integrated Circuit
Lindau, Manfred
Brown, William J; Baird, Barbara Ann
Ph. D., Biophysics


text:
Press release - call for intensified efforts to promote global health
'Five million mothers and children throughout the world die every year from preventable causes. Norway established the Global Financing Facility with other donors to provide health services for women, children and adolescents in developing countries, and thus save lives. If we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we must be willing to intensify our global health efforts. The replenishment conference that is to be held in Oslo in November will be an important step in the right direction,' said Minister of International Development Nikolai Astrup.
The Global Financing Facility in Support of Every Woman Every Child (GFF) was established in 2015, with Norway as its largest donor. Together with Burkina Faso, the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Norway will co-host the first replenishment conference since the GFF was launched. The conference will take place in Oslo on 5-6 November 2018.
'The objective of the conference in Oslo is to mobilise funding to save the lives of millions of women, children and adolescents in 50 countries. GFF investments in nutrition and basic health services, particularly for children, adolescents and pregnant women, trigger national investments, create ownership and are an important step towards universal health care in the recipient countries,' said Mr Astrup.
Among the aims of the Sustainable Development Agenda is to end preventable maternal and child mortality by 2030. Achieving this will require substantial investment in developing countries over the next 12 years. Much of this will have to be provided by the countries themselves, but aid will also be needed. Norway considers the Global Financing Facility to be an effective channel for efforts to improve the health of mothers, children and adolescents, and prevent the loss of life.
'The Global Financing Facility is one example of new financing methods that can mobilise national and international capital for development. In cooperation with our partners, we will ensure that millions of women, children and young people gain access to basic health services. Put simply, this is a question of saving lives and investing in a better future for developing countries,' Mr Astrup said.
The Global Financing Facility is a catalyst for mobilising funding for the Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General. Support from the GFF is coordinated with loans from the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA), with the aim of increasing domestic funding. The GFF is also a platform for cooperation between government authorities, civil society organisations, the private sector and multilateral funds and organisations. Norway is currently the largest of seven donors to the GFF, and provides NOK 600 million a year.
For more information see the Government's Press release (03.05.2018).


Alijiang Silk Road Cuisine (阿里疆) is a new restaurant at VivoCity Mall. It is unlike the more common type of Chinese restaurants in Singapore that focus on food from Southern China. As its name suggests, the Alijiang Silk Road Cuisine restaurant serves Northern Chinese food that originate from the places along the ancient Silk Road that stretched from the east to the west of China and beyond.
Alijiang Silk Road Cuisine takes up a large space on level 3, which is the rooftop level of VivoCity. A related restaurant that serves a more casual version of Alijiang is located just next door. The decor is quite unlike those of a typical Chinese restaurant. Bright colours are used on the walls and furniture. Bold lamp shapes and fixtures are used. From a distance, I might have guessed that it was a Spanish restaurant. There are a few private rooms and an alfresco dining area. The latter is located right by the seafront and may be an attractive area in the evenings.
The Alijiang Silk Road Cuisine Menu looks more like a photo album. The pages are large and contain clear photos of the dishes. Many of the dishes are new to us. Meat dishes, particularly lamb and beef, are featured more prominently than the usual Chinese restaurants we find in Singapore. Here are some pictures of sample sections of the menu. The actual range of dishes available is much larger than what we show here.
We selected some items without knowing much about them. Wherever possible we asked for the level of spiciness to be kept at a minimum.
We tried the Kazakh baked potatoes ($12) as we were curious about Kazakh cuisine. It was a dish of sliced potatoes cooked with some vegetables and served on a hotplate. It was still spicy but was manageable. But we found it to be very salty. It could be a characteristic of Northern Chinese cuisine to have their dishes more heavily flavoured. We made a mental note for future visits to also request for less salt in addition to less spiciness.
The sauted cabbage with crispy pancake ($16) was a dish with a more familiar taste. It was like stir fried cabbage with a topping of some crispy biscuits. Some vinegar may have been used to add a mild tartiness in the taste. It was a pleasant dish that was not too salty.
Grilled lamb are found in a few items of the menu. We ordered some BBQ mutton sticks ($3.50 each) to try. They were small skewers of meat. Each was probably the equivalent of two sticks of satay. The mutton was tender and had an average level of gamey flavour. Those who like mutton will enjoy it.
The Xinjiang Fried Roasted Beef ($28) was attractively presented on a hot grill. Thinly sliced beef that had been grilled with vegetables. It reminded us of Spanish fajitas. The taste was pretty good, except that we should have asked for it to be less salty. Thank goodness we also had some hand baked naan ($5) to eat them with.
Our final dish was Arabian fried rice ($18). Again, it was curiosity that prompted us to order the dish as none of us had ever eaten an Arabian version of fried rice. It turned out to be a dish that looked and tasted not much different from that which we are used to. In fact, there is a close resemblance to the Indian style nasi goreng because of the use of bits of beef in it.
Overall, we had mixed feelings about the food that we tried that day. But we enjoyed the experience of going through an unfamiliar menu and trying some new items. Another visit to hone our dish selection to meet our palette will probably make it a more interesting restaurant to visit.


Despite being home sick today (on another round of antibiotics with a trip to the asthma doctor scheduled for tomorrow), I very much remain focused on the important things. I find it exciting to purposefully shed things that have taken my time and energy without providing benefit (and in some cases causing harm).
One of these things is writing. For me, I love the fact that writing can be hard. Challenges give me energy and drive. If writing were always easy, I would probably get bored. Most of my writing friends feel the same way. That being said, sometimes we get stuck. Sometimes we spend too much time worrying about what people will think and it slows us down. Today I gathered some of my favorite quotes and images to inspire me – to give me that second wind and push me toward the finish line. I hope it inspires you, too.
Good to find you here. Thank you for the follow! I always follow back. Keep in touched!
This work by Erika Burrows is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.


Silver Spring is Singapore's first social enterprise to champion the employment of experienced job seekers.
We started in 2009 with a simple mission - to help displaced professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) in their 40s and 50s return to the workforce. Our focus also includes enabling retired professionals in their 60s to re-discover their value and find fulfilling re-career options.
We equip PMEs with individual coaching, job search skills, job placement services, pre and post job assimilation support as well as mentoring for alternative careers.
In Singapore's tight labour market where organisations are continuously confronted by talent shortage, mature and experienced PMEs form a valuable human resource pool to tap on. We partner companies to select the right experienced candidate to match the organisation's DNA. Our unique approach includes close follow up with client companies before and after the recruitment of a candidate.
Singapore's ageing population is creating a paradigm shift in the workforce demographic where an increasingly larger proportion of the the workforce will be in the older age groups. At Silver Spring, we believe that this presents an unprecedented opportunity to effectively deploy experienced PMEs as a critical component in Singapore's human capital strategy for continued growth.
Our goal is to be the agency of choice for experienced talent in the Singapore workforce. Our aspiration is that every mid-career job seeker who comes to Silver Spring will experience a bounce back in their lives through finding employment or an alternative career.


The natural beauty of the Sierra Madres and deep blue waters of the Pacific paint the landscape for a Puerto Vallarta escape. The destination offers two uniquely distinct vacation experiences: the old-town charm and red-roof tiles of Puerto Vallarta and the newer-developed region set on golden beaches known as Nuevo Vallarta or Nayarit.
Fly into the Puerto Vallarta Airport, located between the Riviera Nayarit & downtown Vallarta.
Perfect for those who desire a sub-tropical climate, with an average temperature of 75 F in winter months and 85 F in summer months. Rainy season is June-September.


text:
Freshwater Controversy in Episode of Law & Order
The season finale of the police and legal drama Law & Order deals with teachers who have had their careers harmed by "nuisance complaints" from students.
One of the teachers included in the episode "Rubber Room" shares something in common with suspended Mount Vernon Middle School teacher John Freshwater—he was accused of branding a cross onto a student with a Tesla coil.
During the course of the episode, the police interview several teachers who might be able to provide a lead on a suspect. All of the teachers tell stories about being wronged by the system. The first teacher the police talk with is science teacher Ron Kozlowski:
Teacher: "It's absurd, I didn't brand anybody. You know what a Tesla coil is?"
Investigator: "Yes. [pointing] That."
Teacher: "Correct. I assume you know what it does?"
Investigator: "It generates an electrical current."
(A teacher on Law & Order, "Rubber Room," describes using the Tesla coil on students.)
Teacher: "Good job. Last year, as I've done hundreds of times before, I did a little demonstration by passing the current over the arms of my students, left a little redness on the skin. Next thing I know there is a complaint filed that I 'branded crosses.' I was suspended pending an arbitration."
Investigator: "One of your students wrote about you on his blog. He said you were a church freak."
Teacher: "I'm a religious person, I don't make any bones about that."
Investigator: "We're trying to identify the student who wrote this about you on his blog."
Second investigator: "He probably gets A's in English, drives a silver Honda."
Teacher: "No. Doesn't ring a bell."
Investigator: "What about the student who filed the complaint, you have his name?"
Teacher: "There was more than one student. The Department of Education wouldn't tell me their names. Sorry you had to drive all the way out here."
Investigator: "Sorry you ended up out here."
Teacher: "After four months of suspension I quit New York and took a job here. Half the salary, twice the commute, but at least I'm teaching."
A person with the username "seabiscuit" on mvohio.net pointed out the connection between the Law & Order episode and the local controversy. "How about that!" seabiscuit wrote. "This situation has now been woven into a television show!"
Posted by Sam Stickle (mountvernon1805) at 10:04 AM 2 comments
Student Testimony—John Freshwater Addresses School Board
John Freshwater told the Mount Vernon Board of Education that he believed the board was not being updated on the testimony from his hearing.
During Monday's board meeting, Freshwater summarized the recent testimony of ten students.
The ten students were from the same class as Zachary Dennis, Freshwater said.
Freshwater supplied the board with copies of the affidavits from the witnesses.
Board members did not respond to Freshwater's comments but did allow him additional time beyond the standard three minutes for public participation.
UPDATE—related documents:
Student affidavits (3.45 MB PDF).
The PDF contains the affidavits of most of the student witnesses that testified at the Freshwater hearing April 29-30, 2010.
UPDATE—related media coverage:
The following are two articles from the Mount Vernon News about the student testimony at the Freshwater hearing April 29-30, 2010:
"Freshwater: Source remains mystery"
"Students testify in Freshwater hearing"
Motion to Close John Freshwater Hearing—Jury May Be Influenced By Media Coverage
John Freshwater's attorney is requesting that the administrative hearing be closed to the public and the media. In the motioned submitted Tuesday, attorney R. Kelly Hamilton expresses concern that the eventual jurors for the upcoming federal trial may be influenced by media coverage of the hearing:
"Upon each hearing date multiple media sources have attended the hearing and made report in various news outlets. The change in circumstances is presented in that potential jury members could be exposed to media reports that may unduly influence, create or lead to bias, detected or undetected through voir dire. The cognitive influences of primacy and recency potentially created by media reports could jeopardize John Freshwater's position in the federal trial as eventual jurors may be influenced or biased as a result of the media reports emanating from the remaining hearing testimony to be taken in this matter. An example of such influence against John Freshwater is included as Exhibit A wherein John Freshwater received an unsolicited letter of opinion from a person not familiar to John Freshwater. Media attention in this matter has been constant and at this juncture the teacher, John Freshwater, may be further unduly harmed by uninformed recipients of journalism that is designed to sell news rather than accurately present a fair and balanced report." (Emphasis added.)
In addition to concern about media influence on jurors, Hamilton stated that other reasons for closing the hearing are: "Articulated witness apprehension." "The prospect of revealing the anonymous source identity."
(Click here to read the motion.)
The hearing is set to resume on April 29, according to the Mount Vernon News. The hearing will be taking place at the Mount Vernon City Schools Central Office at 300 Newark Road.
UPDATE 4-28-10 at 4:20 p.m.:
The hearing scheduled to resume on Thursday will be open to the public. Referee R. Lee Shepherd issued his decision Wednesday on the request to close the hearing.
"There being no statutory rights to close (make private) a contract termination hearing once a public hearing has been requested, the teacher's motion is denied," Shepherd stated.
(Click here to view a copy of the decision.)


text:
const assert = require('assert')
const {remote} = require('electron')
const {systemPreferences} = remote

describe('systemPreferences module', () => {
  describe('systemPreferences.getAccentColor', () => {
    before(function () {
      if (process.platform !== 'win32') {
        this.skip()
      }
    })

    it('should return a non-empty string', () => {
      let accentColor = systemPreferences.getAccentColor()
      assert.notEqual(accentColor, null)
      assert(accentColor.length > 0)
    })
  })

  describe('systemPreferences.getColor(id)', () => {
    before(function () {
      if (process.platform !== 'win32') {
        this.skip()
      }
    })

    it('throws an error when the id is invalid', () => {
      assert.throws(() => {
        systemPreferences.getColor('not-a-color')
      }, /Unknown color: not-a-color/)
    })

    it('returns a hex RGB color string', () => {
      assert.equal(/^#[0-9A-F]{6}$/i.test(systemPreferences.getColor('window')), true)
    })
  })

  describe('systemPreferences.registerDefaults(defaults)', () => {
    before(function () {
      if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {
        this.skip()
      }
    })

    it('registers defaults', () => {
      const defaultsMap = [
        { key: 'one', type: 'string', value: 'ONE' },
        { key: 'two', value: 2, type: 'integer' },
        { key: 'three', value: [1, 2, 3], type: 'array' }
      ]

      const defaultsDict = {}
      defaultsMap.forEach(row => { defaultsDict[row.key] = row.value })

      systemPreferences.registerDefaults(defaultsDict)

      for (const userDefault of defaultsMap) {
        const { key, value: expectedValue, type } = userDefault
        const actualValue = systemPreferences.getUserDefault(key, type)
        assert.deepEqual(actualValue, expectedValue)
      }
    })

    it('throws when bad defaults are passed', () => {
      const badDefaults = [
        1,
        null,
        new Date(),
        { 'one': null }
      ]

      for (const badDefault of badDefaults) {
        assert.throws(() => {
          systemPreferences.registerDefaults(badDefault)
        }, 'Invalid userDefault data provided')
      }
    })
  })

  describe('systemPreferences.getUserDefault(key, type)', () => {
    before(function () {
      if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {
        this.skip()
      }
    })

    it('returns values for known user defaults', () => {
      const locale = systemPreferences.getUserDefault('AppleLocale', 'string')
      assert.equal(typeof locale, 'string')
      assert(locale.length > 0)

      const languages = systemPreferences.getUserDefault('AppleLanguages', 'array')
      assert(Array.isArray(languages))
      assert(languages.length > 0)
    })

    it('returns values for unknown user defaults', () => {
      assert.equal(systemPreferences.getUserDefault('UserDefaultDoesNotExist', 'boolean'), false)
      assert.equal(systemPreferences.getUserDefault('UserDefaultDoesNotExist', 'integer'), 0)
      assert.equal(systemPreferences.getUserDefault('UserDefaultDoesNotExist', 'float'), 0)
      assert.equal(systemPreferences.getUserDefault('UserDefaultDoesNotExist', 'double'), 0)
      assert.equal(systemPreferences.getUserDefault('UserDefaultDoesNotExist', 'string'), '')
      assert.equal(systemPreferences.getUserDefault('UserDefaultDoesNotExist', 'url'), '')
      assert.equal(systemPreferences.getUserDefault('UserDefaultDoesNotExist', 'badtype'), undefined)
      assert.deepEqual(systemPreferences.getUserDefault('UserDefaultDoesNotExist', 'array'), [])
      assert.deepEqual(systemPreferences.getUserDefault('UserDefaultDoesNotExist', 'dictionary'), {})
    })
  })

  describe('systemPreferences.setUserDefault(key, type, value)', () => {
    const KEY = 'SystemPreferencesTest'
    const TEST_CASES = [
      ['string', 'abc'],
      ['boolean', true],
      ['float', 2.5],
      ['double', 10.1],
      ['integer', 11],
      ['url', 'https://github.com/electron'],
      ['array', [1, 2, 3]],
      ['dictionary', {'a': 1, 'b': 2}]
    ]

    before(function () {
      if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {
        this.skip()
      }
    })

    it('sets values', () => {
      for (const [type, value] of TEST_CASES) {
        systemPreferences.setUserDefault(KEY, type, value)
        const retrievedValue = systemPreferences.getUserDefault(KEY, type)
        assert.deepEqual(retrievedValue, value)
      }
    })

    it('throws when type and value conflict', () => {
      for (const [type, value] of TEST_CASES) {
        assert.throws(() => {
          systemPreferences.setUserDefault(KEY, type, typeof value === 'string' ? {} : 'foo')
        }, `Unable to convert value to: ${type}`)
      }
    })

    it('throws when type is not valid', () => {
      assert.throws(() => {
        systemPreferences.setUserDefault(KEY, 'abc', 'foo')
      }, 'Invalid type: abc')
    })
  })

  describe('systemPreferences.setUserDefault(key, type, value)', () => {
    before(function () {
      if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {
        this.skip()
      }
    })

    it('removes keys', () => {
      const KEY = 'SystemPreferencesTest'
      systemPreferences.setUserDefault(KEY, 'string', 'foo')
      systemPreferences.removeUserDefault(KEY)
      assert.equal(systemPreferences.getUserDefault(KEY, 'string'), '')
    })

    it('does not throw for missing keys', () => {
      systemPreferences.removeUserDefault('some-missing-key')
    })
  })

  describe('systemPreferences.isInvertedColorScheme()', () => {
    it('returns a boolean', () => {
      assert.equal(typeof systemPreferences.isInvertedColorScheme(), 'boolean')
    })
  })
})


text:
HomeNewsSandman Discusses Infamous ECW Crucifixion Angle, Kurt Angle Being Offended
Sandman Discusses Infamous ECW Crucifixion Angle, Kurt Angle Being Offended
Photo Credit: Bill Pritchard
Sandman was recently interviewed by The Hannibal TV about the controversial ECW angle where Raven crucified Sandman. This famously upset Kurt Angle, who was backstage for the event and was in discussions about signing with the promotion. Now, we've got Sandman's side of events, and he revealed that he even made the cross.
"No, the only reason it f—– blew up was because Kurt Angle was in the back," Sandman said when asked if he had any idea that the cross angle was going to be popular. "I loved it dude, I thought it was great, I made that f—— cross, you know what else I made? Dreamers scaffold match with Brian Lee, I made that by myself, I put that whole thing together because that's what I do, I do construction."
The topic then shifted a bit to the crowd reaction after the match, with Sandman saying everything was extremely silent. "The silence was deafening in that crowd, so I'm starting to realize that if they're not reacting at all, then it's f—— heavy, so I'm feeling the heaviness of it." From there, Sandman said that a handful of people including Paul Heyman, Shane Douglas, Kurt Angle, and others all demanded that an apology be made, which Raven did much to the chagrin of Sandman, especially considering how the same angle appeared in the WWE later on.
"The funny thing is here, that six months later, Kurt's in the WWE, Austin's getting hung on a f—— cross just like we did, do you think he went to Vince and complained?" Sandman said, although he did say he understood the issues. "But I understand him a little bit then, because…religion was never involved really in wrestling like that."
Sandman went on to say that even though he understood the issue, he was still upset that an apology needed to be made, and disagreed with the entire aspect of it.
"Triple H Talks NXT, Visiting India, And Athletes On Social Media"
WWE Confirms That John Morrison Is Returning To The Company


Beautiful and true, as always. I sometimes get angry feeling afraid, because I think about this, "who against me?". But as you say, sometimes fear alerts us and gives us the strength we need. We don't have to let fear govern our actions, but that the love and peace of Jesus in our hearts. Thank you Father Mauritius.
Wise words, dear cousin, thank you! Hope you are smiling today. We send you warm greetings from Maine!
Fr. Mauritius, how beautiful! This post was exactly what I needed this morning. Thank you for your wisdom and representation of God's presence within us and about us – always. Romans 8:38-39 are favorite verses, which give bring life and liberty when I am afraid of the future.


In the United States, the recognition of a substance as a medicine required an unequivocal conclusion that it actually works, with the result that many of less effective substances were not recognized as medicines, although in most cases they work and do not have pronounced side effects. Talking in statistic terms, rules for calling something a medicine are so strict in the US that we may fall into "type II error" situation, when, because of the excessively high selection criterion, the hypothesis becomes incorrectly rejected (in case of the FDA testing, that the hypothesis is that N-substance is a medicine).
Moreover, the market structure is such that large investments in clinical trials and bureaucratic costs of $ 2-3 billion are unavoidable even for the drugs that are used and prescribed by doctors in dozens of countries for many years, including the developed countries in Europe and Canada. Also, this process takes more than 10 years, and therefore only ~0.1% of all developments reach the stage of clinical trials.
It is also important that in the United States the developments were mainly private, while in the USSR many of drugs were developed by the state, including, for military purposes, and later they found their place in the consumer market. Therefore, many drugs that are used today in usual practice in Russia once were developed for very specific tasks of national importance.
Another distinctive feature of the pharmaceutical industry in the USSR was the fact that more attention was paid more likely to side effects. If they were not significant, and if even for some part of the patients the drug gave a positive result, then it would have been allowed for use. The procedure itself was less formalized and did not require such a long and costly study.
As a result of all these things, we get, for example, the case of Mildronate [Meldonium]. The scandal over the use of Meldonium by some Olympic athletes and their subsequent removal from the competition cannot but speak of international recognition of the efficacy of the drug. Even though it is used by doctors in a number of countries, the status of Meldonium as a medicine has not yet been approved in the United States.
Thanks to a softer and less costly policy of drug approval in the USSR, many good substances appeared on the market and were able to find their place, showing effectiveness in practice, while the USA, such substances can only be considered as supplements because they do not have a very obvious and absolutely identical effect for each patient, even if they are less dangerous than more effective counterparts.


Eleatica: Any activity that is performed by the majority of the population should not be illegal.
In a democracy, any law that is broken by the majority of the population should be repealed.
8 years ago paul Edit (changing meaning) Any activity that is extremely common should not be illegal. Any activity that is performed by the majority of the population should not be illegal. Defined "extremely common"


These airlines usually offer the cheapest flights from Southampton to Amritsar.
These airlines fly from Southampton to Amritsar, but you'll have at least one layover.
This is the shortest flight time from Southampton to Amritsar.
06 / May / 2019 is currently the lowest priced day of the year to fly the Southampton/Amritsar route. There are around five flights on any given week from the UK to Amritsar and the cheapest month to fly right now is May.
You've searched for flights from Southampton to Amritsar. five flights go via Amritsar every week, and we've searched them all to make it easy for you to compare your options. On average, Qatar Airways has the cheapest flights, so look out for them in your search results.
When you fly from Southampton to Amritsar, you'll have one airlines to choose from for your 6405 km journey. If you're planning to fly in peak season, make sure you book in advance to get a reasonable price. Or you could hold on and try to get a last-minute bargain.
If you're fairly flexible about when you want to fly to Amritsar, searching by month will show you the cheapest times to go. It's also worth looking out for flights operated by Qatar Airways, as they're the most popular airlines for this journey.
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Lahore, the city of education, the land of gardens, the heart of Pakistan, the land of happy healthy nation, the city of awesome cookery, is the most famous region of the subcontinent since ancient times that is Mughal and British times. Lahore has always enjoyed the rank of the most delighted destination while trip to Asia or Pakistan and its public always greeted its visitors with a great enthusiasm and zeal. So you too plan this years' summer holidays' fun trip at Lahore because pakistanflights.org.uk now solely presents the direct flights to Lahore from London United Kingdom at very finances friendly deals. Our speedy and fast flights search engine also allows you to browse through and to have the flights fares comparison and evaluations for a number of best travelers' services providing airlines of United Kingdom.
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"Social capital" refers to the network of connections and associations within a given community that help to foster cooperation. Social capital includes everything from clubs to sports teams to military associations, and even animal breeder associations and church choirs. Anything in a society that connects people in a community counts as social capital. Naturally, high levels of social capital tend overall towards positive results, such as a higher GDP per capita.
However, at times, social capital can also have a darker side. Strictly speaking, social capital simply gives a community greater unity and thus greater power, but how a community chooses to use that power makes all of the difference in the world. So much so, in fact, that social capital can be the vehicle which topples governments.
Satyanath, Voigtlaender, and Voth argue that the dense social network formed via social capital played a key role in helping the Nazis spread their message and ultimately come into power. Areas of Germany where citizens spent a significant amount of time in clubs (especially bowling, shooting, hiking, singing, animal breeding, and military associations) became early and consistent pillars of Nazi votes. And the denser the social network in a town or city, the more people joined the Nazi party as a percentage of the population. That is, more people as simply as a raw number didn't join the Nazis (that would be trivial in a more densely populated area) but more people relative to the overall population did. More social networking, more social capital, means increased membership in the Nazi party in proportion to the population.
The Nazi party experienced two periods of growth: an early period from 1924-1928 that peaked in 1925 and then dropped sharply, and a later period from 1929-1933 that culminated in a national Nazi victory and the rise of the Third Reich. In both cases, the greatest areas of growth occurred in towns and cities with the high social capital.
The researchers take these findings to the next level in suggesting that the link between Nazism and social capital is causal: social capital actually caused the Nazi party to succeed. Social capital, in the form of historically rooted associations, predicted membership rates into the Nazi party. To be clear, the researchers do not adamantly argue for this causal connection, but they do say they have "good reason" to believe the link is there.
Regardless of whether there's a causal link, social capital clearly has a "dark side." It can be leveraged for causes as dark as, well, Nazism. Obviously something like a bowling club doesn't have inherent Nazi sympathies, yet the Nazis managed to exploit the social connections within bowling clubs for their political advantage. Perhaps the moral of the story is that people should be aware of the ties that bind.
For more, see "Bowling for Fascism: Social Capital and the Rise of the Nazi Party in Weimar Germany, 1919-33" in the National Bureau of Economic Research.


......of course there is! Mother Nature always has deeper, complex and multi layers of "speaking" to Her children.
Flowers speak A secret to which I feel I am privy. Though maybe not completely articulate in its language I still understand that flowers in particular, are the very Face of God, of the Mother.....in all Her smiling, colorful, rich Glory who conveys the nobler, higher aspects of the meaning of "affluence".... on so many levels.
Lately, I have been plagued, if you will, by the "craving" of one of Her flowers.....the Peony. I dont know why. I only know, after many years of not being in the florist industry and no longer surrounded by flowers of all kinds, I have found myself craving peonies.
Roses I can get.....I have a supplier who sells beautiful ones for very little $, if I can get to him. But these are always available. Peonies are not. They are seasonal and grow in certain areas and we in south Florida only get them if someone ships them to stores during their growing season.
I actually went to Target looking for some one day when I saw someone who bought some from there. None of the Targets here had any, nor even knew what they were.
South Florida is bonafide, certifiable STRANGE.
I knew they sold them in Whole Foods Markets, and if a bit expensive, its better than nothing. I went there and bought a bunch, 5 peonies for $10.00. I think its pricey, but that is the world of business.
I was satisfied and brought them home, away from the ugliness of streets, city, stores, noise and driving etc.....into my sacred silence of magic and possibilities that is my home...... anticipating their opening, their scents, their Beauty and their particular message, their signature that speaks in a silent language to my soul.
Things were not looking good. They did not open, not even slowly. I recut the stems and put them in fresh water after 2 days. Still nothing. When I decided days later to investigate closely, they were dead, rotted from the base of the stems. I was heartbroken. How could I crave something, want something that is speaking to me so loudly, see these peonies all over blogland and the gorgeousness of everyone's pictures, from cutting them from their own gardens to buying them in stores etc, everyone's peonies were haunting me until I finally went and bought some......and they died?? This didn't bode well.
I conveyed this to my housemate and wondered how I was to deal or handle this "craving" for peonies and have the only ones I bought in years, die. He works in Whole Foods Market and so I asked him to return the bunch I bought and replace them, which they do easily enough. But he works in a different store than the one I bought them, and when he came home he said, they didn't have any. I didn't want to spend the gas in driving to the one I bought them only to replace peonies, it was too far.
Days went by and I kept asking him if they came in, and he said no. I began to think he just threw them away and never bothered to return them and just thought I'd forget about it. He's capable of something like that. I began to feel like there was a kind of cosmic conspiracy against me that I had such a consuming craving for these flowers and then to buy them only to have them all die.....and a housemate who didn't care enough to see my spiritual dilemma, for spiritual dilemma it was, and to dispose of them not understanding that some Nature Speak, a spiritual message for me was taking place here.
I asked him then to bring me something else. A week later he brought home white hydrangeas, which were beautiful, to replace the peonies I couldn't have. And I was afraid to buy any more in case they died.
I get onto my blog and look at others I follow and peonies are everywhere.
I get OFF of blogland and still I find peonies in places I should not see them, and even the word "peonies" in places that normally would not be speaking of flowers.
I finally decided this flower has meaning, and it is saying something to me. That is the only possibility. But what?
Yesterday, my housemate brought home some peonies from his store, and I was pleasantly surprised. Grateful I didn't have to buy them myself being in the tight pinch I'm in currently. He said he saw them and decided to just get them, they even had white ones....he smelled them in car all the way home.
I cut them, put them in a white pitcher vase, and hoped for the best.
This morning I awaken and look straight to them and I couldn't believe my eyes....they were as large as the hydrangeas!! One was open but I didn't think it had more to go. Another opened just as much. There are 3 more to open this big.
I smelled them. It speaks to me. I "hear" in my soul what I needed to hear from this particular flower.
What IS IT ABOUT PEONIES that I needed so much?
You know how animals or things from Nature come to you repeatedly to give you messages?......for those who know this takes place and those who listen.
Like some will experience seeing dragonflies everywhere......so much until they stop to ask why?
Or you keep coming across a theme of tigers......in everything you read or see? This is Nature Speaking. It will speak until you get its message.
Well, I told my roommate of my ''craving'' for peonies and he said maybe it is some kind of ''totem'' and he is exactly right. THAT IS what it was, and I was going to have to find out what and why.
this most sensuous and fragrant flower, though it appears delicate and feminine, she is neither delicate nor fragile, but adaptable and strong with powerful medicine, and who reigns over the forces of darkness who seek to destroy her, to live out her purpose of her dedication to a beautiful world, whilst hiding as an elemental fairy, a nymph, in the folds of a thousand petals.
No one knows my life, who I am, what I look like or what I've been through.....except Our Mother who is watching me, and speaking to me, and she 'spoke' the words I soooo needed to hear.
and how She wants to be heard because She so desperately wants you to be soothed, she haunts you until you pay attention.
And I am so glad.....I'm Listening.
Good morning friend....I think it is so inspiring that you analyzed your peonies. They happen to be one of my favorite flowers also...and...they are almost impossible to find here in AZ....and when you do...cost an arm and a leg.
Yours are beautiful....and are opening just as one would like.
I'm glad I did too, I'm sitting with the Peony messages now and feeling very nice, complete if you will. And these are huge.
So glad to see you here again too...I love hearing from you! I read every one of your posts now.....and sometimes get stuck looking at older ones too....and loving every minute!
Are you on the road yet??
I'm glad you do...they are speaking, and yes we take things for granted too often. The meaning was what I needed, as the scent spoke to my soul but not to my mind.....nature is like that. It was important for me to get Her meaning, and how the Peony came into her status....what She went through in ancient lore, because THIS is the message for me. :D hugs.
What a lovely, entertaining read!! I would wish that every flower should be so lucky to have your attention on them as such.
I am so happy you finally got Peonies that bloomed. I planted some three years ago and still no blooms. I appreciate you linking to the OHP this week. Thanks!
I do adore peonies too! Mine are blooming right now and I can't get enough of their wonderful smell. It's wonderful that you could buy some and bring them home to enjoy. That's one of the great things about our world these days...things can be shared that never would have been before because of the great distances. You can cut those blooms as they die back and dry them to continue to enjoy their scent! I'm not too familiar with the medicinal benefits of most plants I just enjoy them and thank God and mother nature for these blessings!
Thank you for saying so and taking the time to comment.
My housemate brought home another bunch of peonies and I added them to the first 5, but these went bad too. He took them today to replace. It hurts a bit, but I'm trying not to feel too bad.
I just knew I had to have some, to smell them, to feel them. Their petals are in a bowl, and a few are hanging to dry.
You know, I'm drying now the ones I had, and they do still have a scent! The ones that opened and were on the way out have a bit of an older musty scent too....but the 2nd bunch I got that didn't open, and were closed, I took apart and they have a beautiful scent even dried as petals in a bowl, I smell them and they smell so nice!
Your prose is always so interesting and melodious! I felt so sorry for you throughout your post after seeing the incredible blooms on my peonies this past month. Alas, they are done blooming now...and I miss them already. :) They are truly my favorite flower in my garden!
oh Laurie, I didn't mean for anyone to feel sorry, but kinda sorta...LOL....it was "interesting" I'll tell you. But they DO have a magical spiritual message. blessings.
My quest for peonies has been so similar. I have sought peonies for years. My usual florist sells them for SIX bucks a stem! So I have never bought them there. I always wanted pink, and they never had pink or I would have been more tempted. But really you need more than one or two! But at that crazy price? I was thrilled to find them at ten dollars at Whole Foods! Yay for us!!!!
Gorgeous flowers and arrangements. Photos are really really beautiful.
thank you for commenting. You should see the new white ones!
oh! that is gorgeous and it adds to the Mystic of this amazing flower. thanks for sharing this.


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Saturday, January 16STATES TOP LEADING NEWS
SEC Action: Justin Robert King and Elevate Investments, LLC
SEC Obtains Emergency Relief Freezing Assets and Halting an Alleged Ongoing Fraud
(STL.News) The Securities and Exchange Commission has obtained an emergency court order freezing assets of a San Juan Capistrano, California-based company and its founder, who allegedly were carrying out an ongoing investment fraud.
According to the SEC's complaint, filed on December 21, 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and unsealed on January 7, 2021, Justin Robert King and his company, Elevate Investments LLC, raised about $7.4 million from investors since at least June 2019. The complaint alleges that King and Elevate were offering interests in the Elevate Investment Fund despite the fact that no such fund entity exists. The complaint further alleges that all investor money was held in brokerage and bank accounts in the name of King, his wife, and/or Elevate. As alleged, Elevate's website stated that, from June 2019 through June 2020, King's trading resulted in returns of 61% for all his clients' accounts. In fact, the complaint alleges, King's trading across all known accounts associated with him resulted in losses of $3.8 million during that period. The website also allegedly represented that King had historically generated profits for his clients year after year, but according to the complaint, King had consistently generated losses. Finally, the complaint alleges that Elevate's website made false statements about its affiliations with well-known securities industry participants when, in fact, certain purported affiliations had been terminated by the securities industry participant or had never existed. From September 2020 to December 1, 2020, King allegedly transferred almost $400,000 from the brokerage accounts to the bank account of his wife, who is named in the complaint as a relief defendant.
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On December 28, 2020, the district court granted the SEC's request for a temporary restraining order against King and Elevate. The court's order freezes the assets of King, Elevate, and Shannon King, appoints a temporary receiver over Elevate, and orders King, Elevate, and Shannon King to provide an accounting, among other relief. The court set a hearing on the SEC's motion for a preliminary injunction extending the emergency relief through the conclusion of the case for January 11, 2021.
The SEC's investigation was conducted by staff in the SEC's Los Angeles Regional Office and supervised by Robert Conrrad. The SEC's litigation will be led by Lynn M. Dean, Kathryn Wanner, and Amy Longo.
Tagged in elevate investments llc, justin robert king, us securities and exchange commission
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In an early scene, a police lieutenant (Jennifer Esposito) who looks like no police officer you've ever seen states that Officer Washburn (Jimmy Fallon) is a "good cop." Yet there's not a single move or sentence uttered by Washburn that would give credence to the lieutenant's notion. In fact Lieutenant Robbins must have been high when she said this, since every time she and Washburn are in the same room, you can bet that she'll offer a more scathing review of his work than critics have written about "Showgirls." Not much of the other elements of the movie work either, notwithstanding a good try by Belle (Queen Latifah) to mine humor from behind the wheel in her own taxi or director Tim Story's entire vehicle.
The paper thin plot is designed simply to provide for an abundance of car chases, car crack-ups, one explosion, at least one shot of a vehicle's going so fast that it literally flies over a gap in a bridge�supposedly one that links Brooklyn and Manhattan but who knows? Most of the pic was filmed in L.A. The villains are a quartet of Brazilian women, at least one of whom (Gisele Bundchen) is a real-life supermodel. After Officer Washburn loses his license for the driving in a way that most six-year-old could do better and safer, he commanders a brand new taxi driven by a woman who has finally received her hack license after being a record-breaking bike messenger for a courier service. At each other's throats for a good part of the pic, the two bond as they chase villains, enjoy the company of Washburn's mother (played by Ann-Margret in a role so embarrassing it's tempting to close the eyes and cover the ears), and express diverse opinions of Belle's driving in a cab that seems designed for the next James Bond movie.
For romance, we're told that Washburn and Lt. Robbins once had a thing at police academy but Washburn continues to act so much like the dumbest cop on the force that what he considers to be the remains of sexual tension is judged by Belle to be nothing more than just plain tension. Also Belle has a tall, handsome boyfriend, Jesse (Henry Simmons), who regularly cools his heels at upscale restaurants while waiting for the love of his life to finish her overtimes assignments.
Tim Story, whose "Barbershop" was no candidate for an Oscar but at least had more than two or three inspired moments, depends on stunt action involving Belle's taxi and the Brazilians' Beemer, but after a while, what passes for conversation between Belle and Washburn is as redundant and predictable as the near-vehicular homicides resulting from the chases. Washburn, like the movie, is a washout.