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Home » Film » Director Bennett Miller Narrates a Scene from 'Foxcatcher' Featuring Steve Carell & Mark Ruffalo
Director Bennett Miller Narrates a Scene from 'Foxcatcher' Featuring Steve Carell & Mark Ruffalo
By Chris McKittrick on	 November 14, 2014 Film, News
It's hard to see Steve Carell as goofy Michael Scott or dimwitted Brick Tamland when you watch him in Foxcatcher, in which he plays real-life millionaire — and oddly, Olympic wrestling enthusiast — John du Pont. Also starring in a transformative performance is Mark Ruffalo, who plays Olympic gold medalist wrestler Dave Schultz. Channing Tatum also stars as Dave's younger brother — and fellow gold medalist — Mark Schultz, whom du Pont takes under his wing.
In the above clip, director Bennett Miller narrates a sequence from the film that features Carell, Ruffalo, and Tatum. There is a lot of conflict in the scene, but it's all under the surface. Miller explains how the actors' performances depict "a scene where what's happening never actually is made explicit." Even out of context with the film, which opens on November 14, one can see what the three actors bring to their role just through body language.
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Date and time set for Steelers/Browns playoff clash
The Steelers and Browns are set to play for the third time this season
by: Josh Frketic
Credit: bpcraddock via Pixabay
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The NFL has released the dates and times for the NFL Wild Card round next weekend.
In their first trip to the playoffs since 2002, the Cleveland Browns will travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in the 3/6 matchup Sunday at 8:15 p.m.
The Steelers and Browns split the regular season series this season.
It's Over! Browns punch ticket to postseason for first time since 2002 with win over Steelers
On Saturday, the Bills will host the Colts at 1 p.m. while the Rams travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks at 4:40 p.m. with the Buccaneers matchup with the NFC East winners capping off the night at 8:15 p.m.
The early games Sunday will feature the Ravens and Titans at 1:05 p.m. and the Bears taking on the Saints at 4:40 p.m.
by Vince Pellegrini / Jan 18, 2021
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WKBN) – Struthers powered past Villa Angela-St. Joseph at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, 74-49.
The Wildcats stay unbeaten at 12-0.
HERMITAGE, Pennsylvania (WKBN) - This Tuesday, the Game of the Week rolls into Western Pennsylvania for a trip to 'The Hive'.
Hickory welcomes Sharon for a rivalry-tilt. The Hornets are unbeaten while Sharon has stumbled out of the gate.
by Josh Frketic / Jan 18, 2021
CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN) - The high school girls basketball game between South Range and Poland has been postponed following what appeared to be a serious injury to Raiders senior Izzy Lamparty.
The game was stopped tied at four with 5:35 remaining in the first quarter.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Partnership deals – everything but time
It will soon become apparent which of the six regions currently negotiating controversial Economic Partnership Agreements with the EU are to meet the deadline of the end of this year, writes Judith Crosbie.
By Judith Crosbie
October 24, 2007 5:00 pm CET
European Commission officials say that in order for Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) to be in place by 1 January, they will have to be signed in the next two to three weeks in order for market access mechanisms to be in place and approved by the Council of Ministers and the Commission.
But few of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions are in a position to sign the deals. Just two – the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (Cariforum) and Central Africa – are said to be close to signing, with the various elements of the deals, such as those on market access, trade rules and how their development package will be spent, laid down.
The other four regions could fall into one of two categories since it is unlikely that they will sign the EPAs by the end of the year. Commission officials say that some regions might need a 'stepping stone' process which would allow access for their products to EU markets from January with a view to signing the EPAs in 2008. This might give welcome relief to some regions, but since the Commission wants the signing to take place next year it does not seem likely that they will rip up their current plans on the EPAs.
The other scenario is that no mechanism is in place by the end of the year, leaving some regions suddenly trying to export goods to the EU with increased tariffs.
For the 39 countries in the ACP which fall into the category of least developed country this will "not be a short-term problem", said one official. These states already have duty-free, quota-free access to EU markets through the 'everything but arms' initiative. For other states, however, the end of preferential access to the EU could be devastating for their industries. "We and these countries are keen to avoid this," said the official.
Non-governmental organisations and some ACP countries have claimed over recent weeks that serious pressure is being put on the regions to sign the EPA deals, with the Commission only beginning to acknowledge a scenario in which not all six might be in place by the end of the year. Whatever form this pressure is taking the Commission is insisting that no money will be withheld from ACP states if they do not sign. "It has never been an objective to use money as a lever and it would be quite ridiculous to do it," said a Commission official.
Those opposed to EPAs point to the advantage that they will give European business through the opening up of ACP markets, a charge the Commission also rejects. "No European businesses have been clamouring at the door to get into those markets," said the official, acknowledging that South Africa is in a "different category" and that the Caribbean countries have signed a free trade association with the US and therefore "when we sign we shouldn't be disadvantaged".
But for all the wrangling over the details of the EPAs, both sides simply see them differently and view their long-term effects in stark contrast. The Commission says that the years of preferential treatment for ACP countries, often based on colonial preferences, did not work and failed to transform the economies of these states. The World Trade Organization ruling of 2000 which struck down the preferential system, deeming it to discriminate against non-ACP developing countries, was an opportunity to force the ACP states on to the world market. The Commission believes the EPAs will achieve this.
Many ACP states on the other hand believe that they will lose much and gain little from the EPAs. They will see their revenues from tariff barriers dwindle, they will see their industries fail in the face of international competition and some of their important exports, especially agricultural products, will still face a challenge overcoming EU tariffs. Commission promises that sectors of ACP industry will not have to reduce tariffs for ten, 15 or 25 years do not persuade governments which have for many decades seen their economies limp along.
As the negotiations reach a frenzied climax over the coming months, the rhetoric on both sides is likely to be ratcheted up still further.
What are EPAs?
Economic Partnership Agreements are being negotiated between the EU and six regions of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. They are trade agreements which are meant to help ACP countries to develop their economies.
The World Trade Organization has ruled that the EU's system of preferential market access for products from the ACP is unfair. The EU says that the system will end on 1 January 2008 and wants to replace it with the EPAs.
The state of play
This region is said to be the closest to signing an EPA. Commission officials say the texts are almost complete with market access the "core remaining issue". But this could yet prove to be a sticking point since a number of states in this region are angry about changes made to the sugar regime in Europe.
Commission officials say the region is "reasonably well advanced" on the EPA. A meeting on Monday (29 October) of officials from both sides is expected to advance the text but trade liberalisation and market access remain difficult issues.
Working towards signing the EPA next year, with preferential market access to be put in place from the end of 2007 in the interim. Discussions continuing on market access.
East-south Africa
With a mixed bunch of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and non-LDCs this region is described as "very complicated". Commission officials say proposals could be made from regional sub-groups on potential deals such as those in Kenya or Mauritius.
The Commission says it received a letter from representatives of this region on 5 October requesting a two-year extension to EPA negotiations, which it rejected. The region is also a complicated mix of states, some of which, including Nigeria, say they will not be disadvantaged in the short-term if no EPA is in place.
Another problem region given the presence of South Africa among weaker economies. Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia are said to be keen for discussions on services and investment, whereas South Africa would rather concentrate on market access.
More from ... Judith Crosbie
Botswana Kenya Lesotho Mauritius Namibia Niger Nigeria South Africa United Kingdom


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Best UK Online Casinos in 2023
Qyto shows you the list of the Best Playtech Casinos in the UK. Here you will find honest and detailed casino and slots reviews, collected in our gambling guide. One of the most worldwide popular casino games providers is Playtech.
Best Playtech Casinos for British Players 2022
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BGO Casino is a reputable website providing instant play gambling online. The name of the site originated from the Bingo game. Over 1,600 games are available at BGO from Playtech, NetEnt, IGT, etc.
PlayOJO Review
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The PlayOjo casino is the newest gambling site full of attractive welcome bonus and over 3,000 certified games. UK users will find hot games, a lot of unique perks, and software from the leading developers.
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Mansion Casino is a premium-class online gambling operator run by Mansion Online Casino Ltd and regulated under the jurisdiction of Gibraltar. The casino is powered by leading gambling software providers and hosts hundreds of exciting games. No matter what type of gambling you give preference to, there is always something to your liking on MansionCasino.com. Keep reading this Mansion Casino review to know what's on offer.
Why Play in Playtech Casinos?
The Most Popular Playtech Slots
Top 3 Playtech Casino Sites
Mobile Playtech Online Casinos
Bonuses at Playtech Casinos
Top Playtech Casino Games
About Playtech
Playtech Casino Software Features
How We Rate Playtech Casinos
Today Playtech is involved not only in the production of online slot machines, but also in the development of cutting-edge software for casinos. Therefore, many customers of the online gambling industry can find quality brand games in the best Playtech casinos on the QYTO site. In this article, we are going to talk about gaming sites that provide many Playtech games everyone can try to play just for fun or even for real money. Here you will see our rating of the best Playtech casino sites, several overviews of some casinos, features of the best-paying slots, and a brief guide on how to choose a suitable place for enjoying Playtech game titles.
Playtech has been in the market for more than 20 years — since 1999. The brand is recognizable all over the world and has millions of fans. Every player finds advantages for oneself in Playtech casinos. We will list the most outstanding ones:
Fascinating bonuses that make the gameplay rewarding and exciting;
There are games for high rollers who can play at higher limits and win even more;
This developer is an expert in live games that ensure the feeling of almost real gambling in casinos;
There are 170 global licenses acquired by Playtech;
Leading applications for online gaming are the following: sports betting, poker, bingo, online casino, live gaming, and games with casual and fixed odds;
The company is constantly releasing new fascinating games, therefore, the fans of Playtech will not be bored.
Here are playtech slots that players are fond of the most:
Buffalo Blitz
Goblin's Cave
🎰 Slot Name RTP, % Progressive Jackpot
Age of the Gods 95.02 yes
Green Lantern 95.69 yes
Buffalo Blitz 96.5 yes
Gladiator 96.45 yes
King Kong 95.5 yes
Wings of Gold 95 no
Wild Gambler 97 no
The Matrix 97.14 yes
Goblin's Cave 99.32 no
Ocean Princess 99.03 yes
Now we are going to show you the top Playtech online casinos British players usually choose for gambling online. Our experts added these three sites to the rating of best Playtech casinos based on the criteria of licensing, game quantity, bonus efficiency and restrictions, list of payment services, and support quality. Now you can check a brief overview of each casino that provide Playtech games:
This casino site was founded in 2012 and it still attracts British players by exclusive games of Playtech and other developers such as NetEnt, Microgaming, Play'n GO, Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, and other giants of the industry. In general, customers can find over 1,105 video slots on the BGO website. What is more, the operator provides a wide range of live dealer games including roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.
New customers have the opportunity to claim welcome bonuses, sports incentives, and even live casino perks. Furthermore, every regular gambler can become a member of a unique loyalty program offering many exclusive benefits. The casino is licensed by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, one of the most respected regulating institutions in the gambling industry.
Casino Joy
This gambling site is a relatively new platform for playing casino games online but it has already gained the reputation of reliable and user-friendly Playtech casino. Besides Playtech software, players can find games from the following developers such as NetEnt, Yggdrasil, Evolution Gaming, Play'n GO, Quickspin, Red Tiger, and others. More than 800 slots are available here. New gamblers are invited to claim welcome bonuses, live casino bonuses, and a couple of weekly or daily incentives. The casino is regulated by the British Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority.
This gambling site was founded in 2008 and it remains one of the leading casino operators on the UK iGaming market. The casino offers more than 1,000 games including slots, jackpot games, live dealer games, table games, and other titles from the top software providers such as NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Betsoft, Nyx Interactive, Play'n GO, WMS, NextGen Gaming, Blueprint Gaming, Genesis Gaming, Leander Games, Quickspin, etc. The casino is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority.
In 2012, Playtech and Mobenga developers collaborated to create the Mobile Hub platform, which allows game integration on mobile devices. As a result, casino mobile Playtech gaming users can now access the company's entire collection of more than 300 games via their smartphones and tablets. Using standard APIs, the Mobile Hub platform allows operators to host any game for mobile devices. Playtech's mobile games work on almost any device working on iOS and Android operating systems.
British players who expect to get a bonus will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of incentives provided by Playtech casino. The welcome and no deposit bonuses, as well as free spins for fans of specific slot games, are among the most popular. Before claiming any bonus, players must check the terms and conditions of the bonuses, as well as study the wagering requirements and calculate their betting abilities.
The provider's collection contains over 500 casino games. Although video slots are the main focus, the portfolio also includes online roulette, video poker, blackjack, bingo games, and even live dealer titles. In the QYTO Playtech casino list, you will find all the games you are interested in. Just check out our complete slot reviews. Now we will talk about casino games every player can meet at a reliable Playtech casino site.
Fans of movies, comic books, and cartoons will enjoy the collection of Playtech games. Their slots are stunning, colorful, and almost always exclusive. There is a large selection of Oriental-themed slots, including a large series dedicated to Greek mythology. The most well-known video slots include titles from DC, Paramount, Fox, MGM, and others. By the way, Playtech releases featuring Marvel characters were recently at the peak of popularity. This collaboration ended in 2017, but it was replaced by incredible slot machines from the DC line.
The developer's signature slots are very popular: X-Men, Blade, Jekyll and Hyde, Age of the Gods series, Matrix, and Gladiator. The new slots impress with epic soundtracks, effects, scatter features, and expanding wilds. The slots' RTPs are usually 97% and even higher.
Demo Versions of Slots
It is necessary to mention that customers have the opportunity to play online slots at Playtech online casinos for money and evaluate the features of each title in the demo version. The demonstration mode is available in every machine. You can use this feature on the official site, as well as on a variety of gambling sites.
The free slot machines have the same set of bonus games as the paid ones, but they do not offer the progressive jackpot. You can play them without any time limit. If the credits provided at the start of the session are exhausted, you only need to reload the game to return to the spins.
Jackpot Slots of Playtech
The total amount of jackpots paid out on the company's slot machines is more than $200 million. A player won a $4,801,527 progressive jackpot while playing the Beach Life slot machine.
In 2009, the Beach Life slot machine brought some good fortune to gamblers once more. The gamer wins slightly more than $4 million from the online casino. The same slot won a prize worth an estimated €6,200,000 in 2012. A lucky Gold Rally player won a jackpot of $6,347,118 in 2013. In 2017, another gambler won a large prize of £1.36 million. This was a Gladiator slot machine.
Now it is easy to see that the Beach Life slot machine is the most generous when it comes to big jackpots. However, do not forget about other simple slots developed by Playtech.
Top 3 Slot Games by Playtech
It is a well-known fact that the provider ranks fourth in terms of the number of online gambling slots released. Only NetEnt, Microgaming, and Play'n GO outperform the company. Now we are going to overview three of the most popular video slots from the developer.
Gladiator won the award for best film in 2000. The game is as epic as Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe's film. There are two bonus rounds available to the player, one of which can be used to compete for the jackpot. The wild and scatter symbols appear on the playing field. Almost any of the spinning rewards can be risked in the risk game. The maximum payout for five Emperor symbols is 250,000 coins.
Age of the Gods is a slot dedicated to the ancient gods and contains 5 reels and 20 lines. The four gods reward four kinds of free spins with Stacked Wild symbols and winnings multipliers. A second bonus game gives you the chance to win one of four progressive jackpots.
Batman & Catwoman Cash is a five-reel and 25-line slot dedicated to the 1966 film Batman and Robin. There's a chance to get free spins with the expanding symbol or play a bonus game. The progressive jackpot has four levels.
You can try any of these and other video slots for free at online casinos from the QYTO rating. We recommend reading our slot reviews to evaluate the game features and weigh their pros and cons on your own.
Advantages of Playtech Online Casino Slots
To sum it up, we have collected the ultimate benefits slot games by Playtech have. Now check them out:
Playtech casinos UK pros
The Progressive jackpot in slots;
Exclusive 3D graphics;
High payout percentage (90-99%);
Attractive design & easy-to-use interface;
Interactive slots theme;
Low bets;
Compatibility with mobile devices.
All this stuff influences players from the United Kingdom and other countries to play video slots produced by Playtech.
Playtech Table Games
The company provides a variety of table and card games everyone can find in the Playtech online casinos. Among the Playtech games, players can find many favourite roulette or poker games. In any reputable casino, you can find from a dozen different roulette games to Sic-bo.
When it comes to card games, there are plenty of choices here, too. For example, the user chooses from more than 20 types ofblackjack and 6 versions of poker. The other games are pontoon, baccarat, stravaganza, and others.
Scratch Card Games
Playtech offers games where you have to 'scratch' cards to win instantly. Playtech supplies over 20 different versions of online scratch cards. They include such titles as Kong: The Eighth Wonder of The World, the Hulk, the Iron Man 2,
Playtech Live Casino
As we know, Live gaming allows people to experience the real atmosphere of a land-based casino via a personal computer. This is made possible by live dealers communicating with players via webcam in a specially equipped studio. The video is broadcast in HD, allowing the player to relax and see every detail at the table while playing favorite games.
Playtech began developing live games in 2003 and since then has grown to become an industry leader. Live dealer games are also popular among thousands of users, as playing roulette or blackjack with a beautiful lady dealer is far more enjoyable than playing alone. In addition, the company has acquired Ash Gaming, another online casino game provider, allowing them to create live dealer games for mobile devices.
In the Playtech casinos' catalog, Live dealer games are a classic set of games common in today's casino collections. The difference is that the user plays with a live dealer sitting on the other side of the screen. However, the player can control the game using their own computer by pressing the necessary buttons.
Virtual Sport Games
These are games that simulate real-life sporting events. Frankie's Fantastic 7 and Derby Day, for example, are about horse racing. The user bets on the virtual horses while they progress along the virtual track.
Playtech was founded in Estonia in 1999, at the dawn of the online casino era. The studio produces traditional online slots, jackpot games, live dealer games, its own iPoker poker game network, and sports betting apps. Since 2013, the company has been releasing projects adapted for mobile devices. Nowadays, Playtech software is used by the best online casinos in the UK and other countries. Players all around the world appreciate the variety of titles on offer.
Partners of Playtech Developer
Among Playtech's partners, Marvel Studios and DC Entertainment are worth mentioning. The first studio signed a licensing agreement around 2010. Then in 2013, the owner of the comic book franchise, the Walt Disney Company, decided not to renew the licence. As of 1 April 2017, Playtech removed all Marvel slots from its list of offerings.
However, the studio has found a way out by rebranding. The removed slots have been reborn as the ancient Age of the Gods. The Fantastic Four slot machine, for example, has become Age of the Gods: Furious Four.
The contract with DC Entertainment was signed in October 2016. Thanks to this, slot machines about Superman and Batman appeared during 2016-2017.
The Playtech partners also include:
Captain Up is a marketing platform for social platforms;
Ladbrokes Coral is a bookmaker working with Playtech to set up live casino studios;
Featurespace is a risk management and fraud prevention company;
Betfred is an independent English bookmaker.
Euro Partners, an affiliate programme owned by Playtech, has registered more than 50,000 partners in its network. This makes it one of the most powerful marketing and business development tools available.
Licensing of the Company
The manufacturer operates under licences from the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. Additionally, the developer has approvals from the regulators of the jurisdictions in which it operates officially. The company has become a member of the Safer Gambling Commitments. It is a working group made up of leading players in the UK gambling market. It aims to minimise the harms of gambling, protect players' rights, and introduce changes to industry regulation to support the consumer.
Playtech Awards
The company has many awards for its great achievements and we have collected the most significant ones. Check them out now:
In 2013, the company won in the Aim to Main category, which was presented at the Grant Thornton Quoted Company Awards. The other awards they received in the middle of the year. The company is a winner in four categories at once in the prestigious EGR B2B Awards.
Several of the Group's professionals were honored for their accomplishments in 2014. They received the 2014 Gaming Intelligence HOT 50 Award.
In 2014, Playtech became the best bingo equipment provider.
In 2016, the company got 4 other prestigious awards: Best Mobile Software, Best Poker Network, Best Digital Casino Equipment Provider, and Best Multi-Channel App;
In 2017, Playtech won the prize for the Best Live Dealer Casino category.
In 2018, the company won the B2B and EGR B2B Awards in the Platform of the Year category.
Playtech software allows you to play slot machines, roulette, and other games via a downloadable app as well as directly in your browser window on the website. Furthermore, mobile device users can play their favourite slots on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Simply go to one of the Playtech casinos you find in the trusted QYTO rating and start playing the hottest games of the company.
When our specialists start reviewing any gambling sites, they take into account the ultimate criteria every trustworthy iGaming site must have. If a casino meets all these criteria, it claims to become a perfect place for safe and responsible gaming. Now you can check these factors.
Regulation & Licensing. Every casino must have an active license from at least one official gambling regulatory authority. For example, the UKGC or MGA.
Protection Measures. Every casino has to apply specific encryption to protect the customers' personal information and transaction data;
Bonuses & Loyalty schemes. This factor usually help players increase their winnings and make them stay on a site for a long time;
Catalogue of Games. When a casino offers more than thousands of games and refresh its catalogue, it attracts more new customers and pleases permanent users;
Payment Options. The list of payment services for deposits and withdrawals must be vast. The more services for transactions exist, the higher is a trust of customers who are ready to deposit in a casino with Playtech;
Support Service. The responsiveness of the casino administration matters as well because it is a bridge between a customer and an operator of gambling services.
Our experts always check whether a site meets all the requirements and factors listed above. And only if everything is alright, such a gaming site can be added to our top ratings.
What are the Best Playtech Casinos?
The best Playtech casinos are the gaming platforms that have licenses from reputable regulators, encryption of players' personal data, provide many different games, user-friendly bonuses, and highly-qualified support service. Our experts usually pay attention to all these factors while evaluating a casino.
Where Can I Find the Greatest Playtech Gambling Sites to Play for Money?
As we already mentioned, in our Playtech online casino rating, every gambler of legal age may find a place for convenient and cost-effective leisure time.
What is the Highest RTP Slot from Playtech?
The company provides a variety of games with a pretty high return to player. Among slots with the highest RTP are the Goblin's Cave having 99.3%, Captain America with a payout percentage of 94.92%, and Marilyn Monroe of 94.10%.
Are Playtech Slots and Casino Games Safe?
Absolutely, yes. All the games are licensed and certified by some independent agencies as eCOGRA, for example. The software is regulated by the British Gambling Commission and other top regulators.
What is the Biggest Jackpot Won on Playtech Slots?
There were a lot of cases of huge winnings while playing Playtech casino games. For example, once a player from the United Kingdom won €2,374,847.22 in a Gladiator slot machine.
As you see, Playtech is a well-known and respected provider of software for online casinos, gambling sites, and poker sites all over the world. The company is one of the leaders in the gambling industry. During its existence, Playtech has grown from a small Estonian studio to an international giant with offices in 17 countries.
Now it offers more than 500 high-quality games in its portfolio. Business is conducted in many directions, including financial and brokerage deals. Playtech's slot machines feature quality design, plenty of bonus rounds, and progressive jackpots. That is why so many casino operators gladly cooperate with the company, as working with Playtech is prestigious today.


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Here is a question: It is suggested in many traditions that if one is experiencing true depression (not just a blue mood, but an actual disorder, where one can't feel any pleasure), since the meditation will amplify the inward ruminations of the depressed person. I have through personal experience verified this for myself–over a year of meditation did nothing to keep me from spiraling downwards, and in fact made me feel worse. I forced it in an effort to overcome my situation, but it just prolonged the experience.
What has made it to start to lift is a combination–medication, physical exercise, good diet (note: diet and exercise alone were nothing for severe depression!), therapy, and doing the internal work with the help of these external things.
So–any suggestions for one that is truly, clinically depressed, for whom meditation will not help or make things worse? I think meditation is risky in such cases–with a suicidal person, downright dangerous.
Should they focus on just connecting with things that make them feel better, or are there any other spiritual practices they could do (besides meditation)?
Thanks very much for this question; it's a good one! So good, in fact, that we're making our first Q&A Lesson out of it, which should be posted either later tonight, or tomorrow at the latest. In the meantime, we just wanted to thank you for your question, and let you know that we will be responding in detail, very soon.
Please see the Q&A Lesson, here.


text:
51 counties are on warning list
Erich Murphy
emurphy@pontiacdailyleader.com
Half of the state's 102 counties made this week's coronavirus warning list. Despite some higher case numbers in this area, Livingston County is not one of the counties.
That's the good news. The not-so-good news is that the positivity rate is going up. This has been in seen in the number of cases being reported. The Livingston County Health Department reports have shown an increase of 98 cases in the past week.
"We need to be diligent and continue to do the things that will keep us off the list," said LCHD Administrator Jackie Dever of the county staying off the list. She pointed out the need for wearing masks and social distancing as being key.
Another point she made was keeping gatherings to a minimum. Dever told the Livingston County Board at its meeting Thursday, and reiterated to the Daily Leader Friday, that the coronavirus is spreading quickly through families. This is a concern with the holiday season approaching.
"It's just spreading like wildfire through multiple families," Dever said at the county board meeting. "That tends to be where most of our numbers are coming from right now, besides the prison."
Dever also told the board that there have been 16 outbreaks in the county, including three at private gatherings, which she pointed out is an underreported area.
Also mentioned was the demographic involving those in their 20s to 40s as having a lot of the current cases. Dever also said that those in their 60s and older are also seeing a lot of cases.
As for Pontiac Correctional Center, there have been 107 reported cases with 40 still active, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections website. Dever said that an issue is the prisoner transfer situation. Being on buses and in close quarters of the cells could be factors for the outbreak behind the prison walls.
Rapid testing is now available, Dever noted. She said that a problem is that students will need to come to the health department for testing. It was hoped, Dever said, that the rapid tests could be done in the schools but that isn't currently possible.
Dever also said that these tests should only be used on those who are symptomatic — showing symptoms.
Dever told the county board that the state is trying to figure out how to disperse vaccines. She said storage is an issue because they must be kept at minus-80 degrees Fahrenheit. The health department does not have such a freezer.
Of the six counties bordering Livingston, only LaSalle is on the warning list.
Livingston County has seen 24 new cases reported in the past two days — 12 on Thursday and 12 on Friday — to bring the overall total since March to 640. The first COVID-19 case in the county was reported on March 17.
Of the 12 new cases Thursday, nine were from outside of PCC while three were inside. Four of the nine cases involved two males and two females either in their 30s or 40s. In Friday's report, there were six cases — three men, three women — in the 20s-40s demographic. This gave that demographic half the 20 new cases in the two-day period, highlighting Dever's comment of the age groups the cases are coming.
The county has had 16,841 COVID-19 tests results reported. Of the 640 positive cases, 537 have been removed from isolation, leaving 93 still active. Of those still active, five are currently hospitalized.
There have also been 10 deaths related to COVID-19 and 49 of the positive cases were asymptomatic at the time of testing.
Pontiac Correctional Center has had 107 cases of inmates reported, including four in the past two days. Of the overall cases, 67 have been classified as recovered.
There have also been 75 cases of PCC employees who have tested positive. Of those, 60 have been classified as recovered.
Of note, there have no cases reported at the Livingston County Jail.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health website, Pontiac saw an uptick of three cases and is at 236. Also seeing growths were Streator with five (460), Fairbury (70), Forrest (32) and El Paso (90) with two each and Cornell (16) and Lexington (30) with one apiece. Dwight (63), Odell (15), Chatsworth (13), Cullom (7), Long Point (17), Chenoa (35), Flanagan (31), Graymont (6), Gridley (19) and Minonk (28) each stayed the same.
For details on previously reported cases and up-to-date information for Livingston County, go to the LCHD website: www.lchd.us.
Drive-thru COVID-19 testing has begun and will be available at OSF Saint James weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon in the parking lot. There are no requirements and all testing is at no charge to the client. Insurance will be billed, if available.
Scheduling appointments is strongly recommended due to the limit of daily testing capacity. Contact the LCHD at (815) 844-7174, ext. 210, for appointments and questions.
The LCHD reminds residents that symptoms are not always obvious apparent but that people can be carriers of COVID-19. Everyone is is encouraged to continue to adhere to all required precautions including wearing a face covering and maintaining a social distance of at least six feet whenever possible. Frequent hand-washing and sanitizing is still strongly urged.
Individuals who travel to hot spots in the country are encouraged to get tested for COVID-19 five to seven days after returning home, or sooner if experiencing symptoms.
For Livingston County residents age 60 or older, homebound with no assistance and in need of essential care items, such as food, medical supplies, or personal hygiene products, please the LCHD at 815-844-7174, x230. The LCHD will continue to work diligently to meet the everyday needs of county residents while aggressively addressing the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Up-to-date information for Livingston County may be found at www.lchd.us.


Each Mac ships with the built-in OS X Calendar application, but Apple's calendar is basic and lacking many helpful features. Thankfully, there are plenty of great third-party apps that serve as a replacement for the Calendar application, or as add-ons to take it to the next level.
We've narrowed our list down to the five best calendar apps for Mac — don't forget to let us know which one you prefer in the comments at the end of this post.
Are you looking to replace the standard calendar? One of the following two applications will get the job done.
Best for: Those looking to do a little bit more with their calendar each day, who don't have time to customize.
Fantastical just happens to be a 2015 Apple Design Awards winner for Mac. What makes Fantastical so impressive is its natural language engine, which makes adding new events a pain-free experience.
For example, you can type "meeting with Jay at 4 pm" and Fantastical will begin creating a calendar entry for the next afternoon on your calendar and also suggest people named Jay from your Contacts application. Once this information is confirmed, it will even send Jay an email inviting him to the event. The application also understands text suggesting a future or repeating event, such as "third Sunday of every month," "every weekend," "last weekday of the month," and more.
Fantastical features a full calendar window with day, week, month, and year views. It also offers light and dark themes, time zone support, and birthday reminders. A Notification Center widget is also available. If you also use Fantastical 2 for iOS, Apple Handoff support is provided, offering continuity between different devices What Does Continuity Mean for Yosemite & iOS 8? What Does Continuity Mean for Yosemite & iOS 8? OS X 10.10, better know as Yosemite, is a major Mac update that offers numerous features never seen before in an operating system. One of the most important is Continuity. Read More . The application's native CalDAV engine lets users connect their Mac directly to their calendar services such as iCloud, Google, and Yahoo.
What sets Fantastical apart from other solutions on our list is its full-featured menu bar app, which was available Manage Your Calendar From The Mac Menubar With Fantastical Manage Your Calendar From The Mac Menubar With Fantastical Manage your calendar, completely, from your Mac's menu bar. Fantastical isn't just a way to quickly see your upcoming events: it's a way to never look at Apple's default Calendar again. Read More before the application became a full Calendar replacement. Menu bar access offers a powerful way to review your day through a mini-calendar. Better still, Fantastic 2 allows this calendar to detach right from the menu bar, and you can also resize it.
Fantastical is available on the Mac App Store or Flexibits Store. A free 21-day trial is also available. Should you spend $50 on a calendar? We believe it's worth every dime $50 for a Calendar? 5 Reasons Fantastical 2 is Worth It $50 for a Calendar? 5 Reasons Fantastical 2 is Worth It The original Fantastical wasn't cheap at $15, and now developer Flexibits will be charging $50 for the updated version — so is it worth it? Read More .
Best for: Those happy with Apple's Calendar application, who want more customization tools.
BusyCal is one of the oldest and most popular third-party Mac calendar applications. Like Fantastical, BusyCal allows you to add events using natural language. It also works with most CalDAV services, including iCloud, Exchange, and Google.
Where BusyCal shines through customization and the use of Smart Filters. Unlike the native Mac application, BusyCal allows you to change the number of weeks to show in the Month view. You can also change the number of days in Week view. Your calendar's font and colors are adjustable as well.
Smart Filters let you create calendar sets and saved searches. You can create a filter that only shows events that match certain conditions, such as a text string or event type. Another filter could show events that contain a string of text modified in the last 15 days.
The application also includes a to-do list, weather reports by day, list view, and more. With all these features, BusyCal helps you become more organized and productive Get More Organized and Productive With BusyCal for Mac Get More Organized and Productive With BusyCal for Mac The OS X Calendar (formerly iCal) has been a stable application ever since the operating system was released. Many Mac users were not been too happy with the latest design of replacement app Calendar, though... Read More .
BusyCal is available on the Mac App Store or BusyMac Store. A free 30-day trial is also available, as are discounts for BusyCal 1.x customers. There is also an iOS version called BusyToDo.
Enjoying Apple's Calendar application, but want a little bit more from it? These three applications will fit the bill.
If you'd rather see your schedule and reminders on your desktop, Blotter is for you. With Blotter, your entire week becomes part of your wallpaper Top 7 Ways to Personalize Your Mac Desktop Top 7 Ways to Personalize Your Mac Desktop Want to make your Mac more personal? Check out these awesome methods for customizing your Mac theme and more. Read More . You can also use it to add events and reminders on the fly. With Blotter, you can show weekday dates or your desktop, or the next seven days on your calendar. You can also adjust its size and reposition it.
Blotter's most impressive feature is its use of shortcuts. With these, you can perform simple tasks with a few clicks of the keyboard. These include new event, new reminder, next week, and more.
Blotter works directly with your OS X Calendar app and is available on the Mac App Store.
Best for: Those who want to view their upcoming schedule in the Mac menu bar without paying a dime.
Here's another status bar app that compliments Apple's standard calendar. With a single click, Calendar allows you to see your whole month's events and tasks right in your menu bar. The aim here is to view everything on your schedule at a glance, without having to spend the time bring up Apple's application.
The application shows your entire monthly calendar. Details about a particular day are just a click away, also on the menu bar. You can customize the application by changing its fonts, colors, and themes; and you can also add a weather forecast.
Calendar is free on the Mac App Store. Additional customization such as Facebook integration is available through an in-app purchase.
Best for: Folks who need to add calendar events in a hurry How To Instantly Add Anything To Your Mac's Calendar How To Instantly Add Anything To Your Mac's Calendar Add something to your Mac's calendar in just a few keystrokes – we've got the software to make it possible. Read More .
Natural language plays a central role with QuickCal. After a few keystrokes, the menu bar app begins creating an event for placement in your Mac's Calendar application. It even notes when there are conflicts on your schedule.
With QuickCal, your upcoming schedule is viewable in a list view, which can include events up to seven days in advance. You can also see your reminders from this location. Want to receive a notification for an upcoming event? QuickCal features "Smart Alerts", which will create alarms at different time intervals.
QuickCal supports iCal, Google Calendar, and BusyCal. It's available on the Mac App Store. A free 14-day trial is also available through the QuickCal website.
See also: For a slightly outdated and older equivalent of QuickCal that won't cost you a penny, check out RemindMeLater. It was built during the iCal era but still works well with OS X El Capitan's Calendar app, allowing you to use natural language to add events to your schedule — without QuickCal's fancy extra features.
There is nothing wrong with using Apple's built-in Calendar app for Mac. If you're looking for something different, consider the solutions we've presented here. Fantastical and BusyCal will replace the Calendar application while Blotter, Calendar 2, and QuickCal will enhance it. Each can be an excellent choice, depending on your needs.
What's your favorite calendar solution for Mac?
Explore more about: Calendar, Google Calendar, Organization Software, OS X El Capitan.
Does anyone know of a good free calendar app that works with Trello? That was the main reason I used Sunrise, and the two integrated seamlessly.
Itsycal looks okay, I'll check it and UpTo out. I can't justify spending all that cash on an app like Fantastical that looks exactly like iCal, and charges separately for mobile and desktop versions.
I'm really liking UpTo as a Sunrise replacement. Not everything sunrise was, but free. And nice. And some fun different features.
Been using Itsycal for quite some time and absolutely love it, might have to check out Calendar 2 though.
That is not very helpful; what is it that you don't like?


text:
Q: Android Flashlight App not working with the galaxy S1 and Droid X My flashlight app works with the S2 S3 and several other android phones no where close to as advanced as the S1 but for some reason can't turn on the S1s flash also this problem has been reported on the droid X and several other droids anyone familiar with making these compatible. Code is below
  public class FlashLightActivity extends Activity {

    private Camera mCamera;
    private Boolean mFlashlight = false;
    private Boolean sound = true;

    private ImageButton button;

    private static MediaPlayer mediaPlayer;

    boolean flashInstalled = true;

    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_flashlight);

        AdView ad = (AdView) findViewById(R.id.adView);
        ad.loadAd(new AdRequest());

        button = (ImageButton) findViewById(R.id.onoff);

        mediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer();

        Context context = this;
        PackageManager pm = context.getPackageManager();

        // if device support camera?
        if (!pm.hasSystemFeature(PackageManager.FEATURE_CAMERA)) {
            Log.e("err", "Device has no camera!");
            Toast.makeText(this, "Your device does not have FlashLight",
                    Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
            return;
        }

        try {
            // Checking if flashplayer is available
            ApplicationInfo ai = pm.getApplicationInfo("com.adobe.flashplayer",
                    0);
            if (ai != null)
                flashInstalled = true;
        } catch (NameNotFoundException e) {
            flashInstalled = false;
        }

        button.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
            public void onClick(View v) {

                if (mCamera != null) {
                    Parameters params = mCamera.getParameters();
                    if (mFlashlight) {
                        params.setFlashMode(Parameters.FLASH_MODE_OFF);
                        button.setImageResource(R.drawable.off_icon);
                        mFlashlight = false;
                    } else {
                        params.setFlashMode(Parameters.FLASH_MODE_TORCH);
                        button.setImageResource(R.drawable.on_icon);
                        mediaPlayer = MediaPlayer.create(
                                FlashLightActivity.this, R.raw.boom);
                        if (mediaPlayer != null && mediaPlayer.isPlaying()) {
                            mediaPlayer.stop();
                        }

                        if (sound) {

                            mediaPlayer.stop();
                            mediaPlayer = null;
                        } else {
                            mediaPlayer.start();

                        }
                        v.setKeepScreenOn(true);

                        mFlashlight = true;
                    }
                    mCamera.setParameters(params);
                }
            }

        });

    }

    @Override
    public void onResume() {
        super.onResume();

        SharedPreferences preferences = getSharedPreferences("pref",
                MODE_PRIVATE);
        sound = preferences.getBoolean("sound", false);

        if (mFlashlight) {
            button.setImageResource(R.drawable.on_icon);
        } else {
            button.setImageResource(R.drawable.off_icon);
        }

        try {
            this.mCamera = Camera.open();
        } catch (Exception e) {
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onPause() {
        super.onPause();

        if (this.mCamera != null) {
            this.mCamera.release();
            this.mCamera = null;
        }
        this.mFlashlight = false;
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
        getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.activity_tabs, menu);
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
        switch (item.getItemId()) {
        case R.id.menu_settings:
            Intent menuIntent = new Intent(this, MenuActivity.class);
            startActivity(menuIntent);

            return true;

        default:
            return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);

        }

    }
}

A: The only thing I found that works on the Droid X is the code presented by Siddhpura Amit part way down the page in this answer here:  Use camera flashlight in Android. He checks the manufacturer and checks to see if it contains the string "motorola." If so, he has special code that can switch the camera Flash LED on or off. I can verify that it does work as I have a Motorola Droid X and this is code I use in my applications.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Men's cross country team returns to chase a championship
Alyssa Beebe, Ana Maniaci McGough/The Ithacan
Senior Danny Jagoe and sophomore Patrick Bierach have their eyes set on competing at the NCAA Tournament in Kentucky.
By Aidan Charde — Staff writer
In 2019, the Ithaca College men's cross country team made its first Division III National Championships appearance since 2002. Despite being down a few stars, the team is looking to continue its title pursuit in its return to racing.
Head coach Jim Nichols said it was hard to lose some of last year's seniors, but he has high expectations for the returning group of veterans and a strong incoming freshman class.
"We have a number of juniors that were part of the team in 2019, and they have some insight as to what it actually takes to get there," Nichols said. "It'll be interesting to see how [the freshmen] adapt to running a 5k in high school to running an 8k in college, but I think they'll make the adjustment well."
The regional layout has changed coming into this season, which means that the team will have to alter the way it thinks about the season. Nichols said the squad embraces the challenge that the new format presents.
For the past 40 years, the NCAA was composed of eight regions, which each sent their top two teams to the NCAA Championship. There were also 16 at-large bids for the event. However, growth in the sport meant that more than 30 new teams started competing since 2007–08. The NCAA also recently expanded the number of regions to 10, with only one automatic qualifier in each region. There will also be 22 at-large bids given to the best teams that did not win their region.
The NCAA has stated that part of the reasoning behind the change is to make sure that there are courses capable of hosting the large number of teams in each region.
Nichols said the team will strive to win the region, but that being toward the top should be enough to earn them one of the 22 at-large bids. If the Bombers earn a spot, they will travel to Kentucky — the site of the 2021 National Championships — which was also the site of the 2019 event. This has served as a motivator for members of the team.
Senior Danny Jagoe said he bought a Kentucky license plate and hung it in his room to remind him why he was running this year. He said it is an important part of the team's mentality this season.
"I think keeping Kentucky in our mind is a way to orient our goals," Jagoe said. "Our team group chat is called Kentucky 2, so it's like it's a sequel of sorts. It's in the back of all of our minds and I think it's something we're really looking forward to.
The National Championship is not the only meet that the runners are excited about. Jagoe said there are a few meets in particular that he is excited to run at.
"We're doing a preview of the regionals course that's in [Letchworth State Park], which I've heard is a little different this year than it was two years ago," Jagoe said. "There's also the Border Battle [at Rowan University]. We did that meet my freshman year, so I'd love to go back."
Sophomore Patrick Bierach said he is also looking forward to the Letchworth State Park course, despite never having run it before.
"I've always really enjoyed visualizing my races, so if we go there earlier on in the season, going back in November for the actual regional meet will help me visualize what I want to happen in the race," Bierach said. "I'm very excited for that."
Bierach said he is just ready to get into the swing of things. While he did get the chance to run with the men's track and field team in Spring 2020, he said he cannot wait to get involved with cross country.
"What I like about cross country is that everybody is doing the same thing," Bierach said. "It's such a nice environment where you've got everyone working toward the same goal."
Nichols said he emphasizes teamwork because it can make or break a race. He said keeping the runners on a team together is a good way of motivating each other while they run and it could help them perform better in the standings.
"Teamwork is very critical, you have to feed off of each other, you have to run together, you have to work together," Nichols said. "You want to keep people as close together as you can."
If the team can do that, it could have a shot to make it back to Kentucky, which Nichols said the team is preparing for.
"We want to peak at the end of the season," Nichols said. "So we can run our best races at the end of the year when it's important."
Aidan Charde can be reached at acharde@ithaca.edu or via Twitter: @AidanCharde
IC and Liberty League suspend all fall athletic competition
By Connor Glunt, Emily Adams | Jul 22, 2020
Fall athletes thrive in postseason NCAA appearances
By Lauren White | Dec 4, 2019
Strong senior squad carries men's cross-country team
By Connor Glunt | Nov 14, 2019
Danny JagoeIthaca College men's cross countryJim NicholsLetchworth State ParkPatrick Bierach


text:
Hunting Party – Wenn der Jäger zum Gejagten wird ist ein international produzierter Spielfilm aus dem Jahr 2007. Regie führte Richard Shepard, der auch das Drehbuch schrieb. Weltpremiere war am 3. September 2007 auf den Internationalen Filmfestspielen von Venedig 2007. Die breite Veröffentlichung in den Kinos der USA startete am 14. September 2007; der Kinostart in Deutschland war am 29. November 2007. Im deutschen Fernsehen war der Film erstmals am 5. Februar 2010 bei VOX zu sehen.

Handlung
Der Kameramann Duck trifft fünf Jahre nach dem Krieg in Bosnien und Herzegowina seinen für verschollen gehaltenen, ehemaligen Kollegen Simon Hunt wieder, mit dem er neun Jahre lang als Kriegsberichterstatter in diversen Krisengebieten tätig war. Dieser galt als bester seiner Branche, bis er aufgrund eines Vorfalls im Krieg in Bosnien vor laufender Kamera die Nerven verlor und aufgrund seines Verhaltens gefeuert wurde. Der arbeitslose und verschuldete Simon will Duck dafür gewinnen, Jagd auf den international gesuchten Kriegsverbrecher "Fuchs" zu machen. Später stellt sich heraus, dass der Fuchs im Bosnienkrieg die Geliebte von Simon ermordet hat, als er ein Massaker in ihrem Heimatdorf anrichtete. Zusammen mit einem jungen Kollegen machen sie sich auf die Suche nach dem Fuchs. Je näher sie ihm kommen, desto mehr Hass schlägt ihnen aus der örtlichen Bevölkerung entgegen. Da sie für ein Team der CIA gehalten werden, werden sie vom Fuchs entführt und sollen umgebracht werden. In letzter Sekunde werden sie gerettet und es wird ihnen nahegelegt, das Land zu verlassen. Da offensichtlich keine Behörde Interesse daran hat, den Fuchs zu fangen, suchen sie ihn erneut auf und überraschen ihn bei der Jagd. Im Kofferraum des Autos verfrachten sie den Fuchs in das Dorf, in dem er vor Jahren das Massaker anrichtete, setzen ihn auf der belebten Hauptstraße ab und fahren weg. Die Bewohner des Dorfes erkennen den Fuchs sofort und gehen auf ihn zu, offensichtlich in der Absicht, ihn zu töten.

Rezeption

Die Bewertungen des Films fielen tendenziell eher schwach aus. So rezensierte Manohla Dargis in der New York Times vom 7. September 2007, der Film sei eine "missglückte Möchtegerne-Satire". Er beruhe auf einem Artikel, der nicht wirklich witzig sei und sei selbst nicht witzig.

Robert Koehler schrieb in der Zeitschrift Variety vom 3. September 2007, der Film sei abwechselnd "oberflächlich" und "amüsant". Er stehe im Gegensatz zum Film Welcome to Sarajevo, der immer noch der beste Film sei, der westliche Journalisten im Krieg auf dem Balkan zeige. Die Rückblenden, die den Krieg und den früheren Nervenzusammenbruch von Simon zeigen würden, seien für die Handlung problematisch. Richard Gere biete eine der besten Darstellungen seiner Karriere; Terrence Howard wirke unglaubwürdig. Ferner wurden die "starken" Leistungen der Nebendarsteller James Brolin, Mark Ivanir, Ljubomir Kerekes und Diane Kruger gelobt. Das Produktionsdesign des "talentierten" Jan Roelf sorge für "knochenharten" Realismus; die Filmmusik wirke "beunruhigend".

Schließlich schrieb das Lexikon des Internationalen Films im Filmjahr 2007 von einer "Friedensfarce nach einer wahren Begebenheit, die ihre satirischen Ansätze nicht zu einer glaubwürdigen Anklage bündelt, sondern eher sogar Gefahr läuft, den Mythos um den nicht zu fassenden Kriegsverbrecher noch zu verfestigen."

Hintergründe

Die Handlung wurde durch den im Oktober 2001 von Scott Anderson in der Zeitschrift Esquire veröffentlichten Artikel What I Did On My Summer Vacation inspiriert. Dort wurde die im Jahr 2001 durchgeführte Suche einer Gruppe westlicher Journalisten nach Radovan Karadžić beschrieben.
Der Film wurde in Bosnien und Herzegowina sowie in Kroatien – darunter in Sarajevo und in Zagreb – gedreht.

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Filmtitel 2007
US-amerikanischer Film
Jugoslawienkriege im Film
Actionfilm
Abenteuerfilm
Filmkomödie
Politthriller
Kriegsfilm

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This tapenade is so versatile. I like eating it with crackers or spooning it over baked fish. Either way, it has adds a pungent brine flavor with the freshness of herbs.
In a food processor fitted with a chopping blade, pulse kalamata olives, manzanilla olives, and garlic 10 times. Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add rosemary, capers, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil, and pulse 5 times.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 week.


text:
Subject: How to Profit in a Democrat-Led Economy
How to Profit in a Democrat-Led Economy
By Shah Gilani, Chief Investment Strategist, Money Morning • @ShahGilani_TW - January 17, 2021
History proves that there are going to be tons of moneymaking opportunities and profit catalysts with the Democrats running Washington… just as there were when the GOP was.
Only the nature of the opportunities will be different and today, Shah will show you how.
But red or blue, the end results will be the same: Green money in your pocket… .
3 Popular Stocks to Sell Right Now
The Long and the Short of It: Profit on the Lucrative Banking M&A Boom
The Long and the Short of It: Cash In on the "Buy American" Trend
Why the Tech Sector's Hidden Gem Won't Fly Under the Radar Much Longer
Amazon Is About to Disrupt the Real Estate Industry
2 Stocks to Buy Now Ahead of the $2 Billion Infrastructure Spending Spree
4 Virtual Reality Stocks to Watch in 2019
Turn the Trade War into an Opportunity with This Tech Stock
3 Ways to Profit from a Sector Immune from the Trade War
Disney Stock Hit Its All-Time High – Here's What to Buy Instead
Three Best Gambling Stocks to Own Right Now
Profit from the Housing Boom with These 2 Overlooked Stocks
This Is the Best Stock to Buy and Hold During Extreme Volatility
This Company Was Already a "Must Buy" – Now It's Expanding into China
[CHART] Don't Sweat Housing Stocks; This Is How to Really Make Money on Real Estate
By Garrett Baldwin, Behavioral Trading Specialist, Money Morning - October 21, 2020
If you are worried about stocks crashing - and given the fact that it's 2020, you probably should be - there are individual stocks you do not want to own right now.
It's not that these are bad companies, or that there is something wrong with the business.
They are too extended, and when they begin to fall, it will get ugly very quickly.
Today, we cover a few stocks to sell before the election, in case we see a big dip.
By Garrett Baldwin, Behavioral Trading Specialist, Money Morning - July 12, 2020
The United States loves its banks.
We have thousands, compared to just six in Canada... but now, we don't need them all - and they're having trouble maintaining profitability.
So there's going to be a huge uptick in deals in the banking industry - which means you can profit if you buy into the right one now...
It doesn't matter who wins the election in November when it comes to the trend I'm showing you today.
Because both candidates will appeal to this "Buy American" idea, and both will encourage investment there.
That means buying into it now can be very lucrative for you...
By Money Morning Staff Reports, Money Morning - December 4, 2019
Renewable energy often gets lumped into the energy sector, but it's really all about technology.
You see, unlike commodities like oil and gas, renewable energy sources are unlimited.
It's just a matter of developing the technology that harnesses them, especially in solar.
That also means investing in renewable power is more like investing in the latest tech breakthrough than a typical energy stock.
By Money Morning Staff Reports, Money Morning - August 22, 2019
When Amazon comes for a new industry, the legacy players quake in their boots.
And for good reason.
Here's what that means for real estate, and how you can take a cut of the gains...
By Money Morning News Team, Money Morning - June 21, 2019
The one issue both parties in Washington can agree on is infrastructure spending.
Spending estimates for an infrastructure bill are as high as $2 trillion.
That's why we're giving you the top stocks to buy now before the U.S. government allocates trillions for these major projects.
And these infrastructure stocks are primed for a breakout this year…
Virtual reality is an enticing technology with endless possibilities. It's already changing the way we consume media.
This presents a great opportunity for investors.
Today, we'll cover our four top virtual reality stocks for 2019.
By Money Morning Staff Reports, Money Morning - June 1, 2019
The silver lining in the trade-war kerfuffle on Wall Street is that it creates bargains galore.
And we've got our eyes on one stock that could lead the charge when stocks come roaring back.
This tech titan is tapped into just about every growth trend we can think of, and shares could pop as much as 60% this year.
By Jamie Dlugosch, Guest Writer, Money Morning - May 31, 2019
The market is throwing another tantrum, all but begging the Federal Reserve for a rate cut.
Both bonds and stocks are signaling economic weakness ahead, with the Dow down over 5% in the last month and bond rates rising.
But this one sector is powering three stocks even higher...
By Money Morning Staff Reports, Money Morning - May 3, 2019
The absolute monster $1.7 billion open for "Avengers: Endgame" capped a truly remarkable price spring for Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS).
Shares of Disney are up 26% since March 25.
But Disney's breakout is good news for another stock we're watching - one with even higher upside...
By Garrett Baldwin, Behavioral Trading Specialist, Money Morning - March 22, 2019
The gambling industry is red-hot, and that's creating new opportunities for investors to make money on the best gambling stocks right now.
As an economist and avid analyst in the sports gambling business, I've used the VQScore to identify double- and triple-digit winners.
This week, three of the best gambling stocks in the business hit our "Buy Zone," meaning they had scores of 4 or higher.
By Money Morning Staff Reports, Money Morning - November 16, 2018
It may seem counterintuitive to think that in a world of rising interest rates, stocks of homebuilders are the place to be.
But that's exactly where Money Morning Special Situation Strategist Tim Melvin sees big opportunities.
And there are plenty of reasons to go against the herd...
By Money Morning News Team, Money Morning - November 14, 2018
Volatility is back, and it's wreaking havoc on stock indexes. Since the start of October, the VIX has surged to its highest levels since the beginning of the year.
But some stocks do very well when markets get volatile.
And what we're going to talk about today is the best stock to buy and hold when markets start seesawing.
By Money Morning Staff Reports, Money Morning - November 9, 2018
Starbucks Inc. (NASDAQ: SBUX) has locations all over the world, but the Seattle-based coffee company is making a big push into China.
That's a big deal, especially since Starbucks stock is already one of the best stocks to buy right now.
It all starts with the number 780 million...


I use SpeedHacks because my system's not good enough (2.8ghz C2D CPU).
Since I have speedhacks game runs 60fps, but GS is around 90%.
The problem is I feel I got input lag, whether it is keyboard or gamepad - even though I get 60fps - am I having this problem because I'm using SpeedHacks?


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Cosmic Double
A Literary Magazine
Three Reflections on Trying to Get Pregnant in My 30s
Average costs of common fertility treatment options in the United States:
Fertility assessment: $250 to $500
Semen analysis: $200 to $250
Base fee for one IVF cycle: $12,000 to $14,000
Injectable medications: $3,000 to $6,000
Donor sperm: $300 to $1,600
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): Up to $2,000
Genetic testing: $1,800 to $6,000
Frozen embryo transfer (FET): Up to $6,400
Medication for FET: $300 to $1,500
Frozen donor eggs base cycle fee: $14,000 to $20,000+
Fresh donor eggs base cycle fee: $27,000 to $47,000+
Gestational carrier or surrogate: $60,000 to $150,000+
1. I was inching toward a precipice. While I was in a committed relationship, and in my 32nd year, I was not yet engaged much less married. I decided to ask my doctor about it at my annual gynecologist visit. This doc was known for her rather blunt, no-nonsense delivery, which didn't appeal to all women but which I personally appreciated. "Should I be worried?" was the crux of my inquiry.
"I didn't even meet my husband until I was 35, and I had four kids," she said, almost dismissively, dispelling my concern. Wow, four kids after 35? Great! What a relief. I left the appointment reasonably reassured that much of the talk swirling around women my age was just hype.
Fast forward a year and I was back in her office for my annual checkup. The nurse put me in a different exam room. This one featured a portrait on one wall, four small children dressed up and staged on a bench in some photographer's studio. The white, wooden painted frame screamed early '90s. Clearly these were those four kids my GYN had had after 35. I examined the portrait while waiting. A clearly older child on one end, then two that looked like twins, and one that seemed slightly younger on the other end. I asked about the picture when the doctor came in, wondering if I was right about the twins.
"Nope, those three are triplets."
'You bitch,' I thought. You had to know that was NOT what I thought you meant last year. So, you had four kids after 35 with the help of fertility treatment. Treatments for which you probably got some "professional courtesy" discount. Sure, maybe the first one came naturally. But I don't believe for a second that you had a naturally occurring set of triplets past the age of 35. What are the odds of that? And more importantly, does this mean I do have reason to worry, assuming I'd prefer to avoid having to resort to expensive and arduous fertility treatments to have a family? I wondered these things, but I didn't ask, didn't call her on her half-truth.
By this point I was 33—it was around 2016 or so—and living in the DC area. It seemed like stories about "the fertility cliff" at 35, or "progressive" employers paying for egg freezing for their female employees were everywhere.
2. Cut to early 2017, I'm now 34 and engaged to be married in late March. I'm at an off-site team building event for work, and Peter, a member of our office's senior management, has come down to give us all a pep talk. He stays to join the group for lunch. Peter takes a seat at my table, otherwise occupied exclusively by women. Among them are one of my managers, Amy, and at least two of my teammates who are also in their late 20s or mid-30s.
We make polite conversation, as you do when a higher up of another generation attempts to relate. Soon the topic turns to how his engaged daughter is pregnant and is postponing planning her wedding until after the baby is born. This is because, as he explains: "she's in her mid-30s, so having this baby now is important." He's attempting to sound cool, but he's clearly not thrilled that she's put the cart before the horse. It seems obvious that he's latched onto this "well, she's in her mid-30s thus practically a dried-out spinster, so it's probably best that she just has a baby first before it's too late. Then she can worry about getting married," narrative to make himself feel better about the order of operations. The phrase "because, you know, she's in her mid-30s," comes out of his mouth several more times in relaying this story to this table of women.
I must have caught my colleague Nadia's eye with my own rolling one, because she fills the next conversational lull by offering up: "Mary's getting married soon." She's teed me up and before I can think better of it, I grab the baton.
"Yeah, coming up in March. I'm also in my mid-30s. Still going to go ahead and get married first, hopefully I can manage to have some kids later." I honestly don't remember how Peter responded, probably because he didn't know quite how to respond to that. Thankfully, lunch was soon over and it was time to start the afternoon's sessions.
I started across the compound on my own, but soon realized Amy was speed-walking to catch up with me. "Here it comes," I thought. "I'm going to get a talking-to for mouthing off to a senior official." But, drawing up alongside, she surprised me.
"Mary, I'm so sorry about that!" she began, shaking her head at Peter's inability to read the room. As we walked, she shared some of her own story. She didn't get married until she was 32. As soon as she'd turned 30, her mother would regularly call her to harp on how she hadn't had kids yet and was running out of time. Yet, Amy had three of them, the last when she was 37.
I appreciated her words, and that she took the time to confide this. But underneath my sharp tongue with Peter was a very real sense of dread that I was getting a rather late start. Sure, Amy got married at 32 and had a family, but that was still a head start on me. I would turn the dreaded 35 six months after my wedding, thus guaranteeing that any children I had would be "geriatric pregnancies" in the parlance of obstetrics. Her words were reassuring, but my fear was just as real as my annoyance with Peter's tone-deaf story.
3. Shortly after settling in Cincinnati in autumn of 2018, I was due for my annual gynecologist appointment. Weeks away from turning 36 at this point and still smarting from my DC doctor's lie of omission, of course the "geriatric pregnancy" question came up. Flipping over my appointment form to get to a blank piece of paper, my new doctor started drawing a graph. The reason they picked 35 as this "magic number," he explained, was because 35 is essentially the point on the chart where the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome intersects with the risk of a miscarriage caused by amniocentesis.
As he explained it, the risk of pregnancy loss from amniocentesis—a procedure typically done to confirm a Down's diagnosis—is steady at about one in 270 cases. He drew a straight line across the chart representing this. The risk of having a baby with Down syndrome starts out quite low, at about one in 1,000 pregnancies around the age of 20. This became the bottom corner of his graph, where the x and y axes met. That risk increases slowly to start, then as he drew his line started to rise upward more steeply in the 30s, reaching about one in 100 by age 40. At 35, the risk is also about one in 270. Hence, where these two lines meet on the graph represents the point in one's reproductive life where the risk-benefit analysis of losing a baby from an elective procedure, and having a baby that will live, but with a chromosomal abnormality, is even.
I suppose I can see the "logic" behind this calculation, but it still equates two things that in my mind shouldn't be considered equally undesirable outcomes. My doctor used the graph to illustrate that there was no dramatic drop-off or "cliff" specifically associated with 35. It was basically an actuarial calculation. Thus, he didn't treat pregnant patients over 35 any differently unless or until there was reason to do so. While at the time I found this reassuring, I would realize later that his explanation only addressed the likelihood of conceiving a baby that is chromosomally "normal." It did not really address my more burning question, whether my "advanced age" affected my likelihood of conceiving a baby at all.
Reflecting on these three incidents that have stuck in my memory, there is a common theme of optimism. Of concerns being raised and then downplayed. Of societal or familial norms and expectations being proven wrong, or outdated. Of reassurance that there was no need to worry, no ticking clocks or cliffs to be avoided, it was just media hype. And at first, staring at a Clearblue Digital test unambiguously displaying the word "Pregnant" one February morning a few months after turning 36, that optimism seemed well-placed.
And yet, just weeks later that optimism would be snuffed out in an ultrasound suite, when no amount of transvaginal probing could locate a heartbeat. It would be nearly two years before "Not" would finally cease to precede "Pregnant" on a digital test, and it would require scientific assistance after all.
Looking back now from the other side, I offer these reflections as a cautionary tale. I found myself approaching my mid-thirties and having a baby (or four) was something I wanted. Yet I let others be reckless with my fertility or dismiss my concerns with an anecdote. It was easier to accept the optimistic reassurances and not dig deeper, not advocate for more thorough answers. And sure, a woman in her 30s may have no problems at all, but she might, and I did. And I deserved satisfactory answers to my questions and an honest assessment of my chances. I should have kept asking until I got them.
Mary Mathes
Mary Mathes is a native Nebraskan and former Washington D.C. resident currently living in Cincinnati, OH. When not writing, she is a market research consultant. Her work has previously appeared in Notre Dame Magazine.
stephanieawood


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How Allergies Work
Using Your EpiPen® or Anapen®
Moving out with a food allergy
Eating out with a food allergy
Alcohol and allergy
Dating with an allergy
Travelling with food allergy
Studying at university with a food allergy
Food allergies and the workplace
Food Allergy and Packaged Foods
Talking to friends about food allergy
Starting a family when you have food allergy
Allergic rhinitis (Hay fever)
Festivals and food allergy
Managing food allergy at Parties
A resource for young adults living with severe allergy
Read packaged food labels every time, as lists of ingredients and food processing can change.
Check and respect 'may contain' statements.
When buying unlabelled food, disclose your food allergy and ask about food allergen content.
Food in Australia is required by law under the Food Standards Code, to display the most common allergens on its packaging.
These allergens must be declared if they are included as:
An ingredient
Part of a compound ingredient
A food additive
A processing aid
The Food Standards Code also requires that sulphites in concentrations of 10mg/kg or more must also be declared on food labels of packaged foods. Sulphites are listed because sulphites in food can trigger asthma symptoms in people with asthma.
NEW LABELLING LAWS IN AUSTRALIA
The new Plain English Allergen Labelling law means that the common names of food allergens must be listed on a food label. (e.g. the word egg rather than just the protein in egg which is albumin). Food companies need to make these changes by 2026, so up until then you will need to know how to read labels that comply with both the new and old laws. Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia has Food Allergen Cards listing other words for the common allergens and foods the allergens may be in.
How to read food labels that meet the old Food Standards Code
Even though there is a change to the Food Standards Code in place, foods with labels that meet the old Code can still be available for up to 5 years.
The old Food Standards Code requires the following allergen information to be labelled and available to customers:
tree nuts, (e.g. almonds, cashews)
cow's milk (this includes all dairy foods)
crustacea (e.g. prawns, lobster)
soy/soybeans
cereals containing gluten and their products, namely, wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt and their hybridised strains (e.g. triticale)
How to read food labels that meet the new PEAL law
Under the new PEAL law, ingredients are to be listed with the plain English name alongside the actual ingredient name.
In the statement of ingredients, declarations must:
Be in bold font.
Have bold font contrasting distinctly with other text.
Have the same size font as other text.
The allergens must also be listed in a summary statement beginning with the word 'contains' next to the ingredient list. This could be above, below or on either side of the ingredient list.
Some other important changes under the new PEAL law include:
The name of the specific tree nut (almond, Brazil nut, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pine nut, pistachio and walnut) to be included in the ingredients list and summary statement.
The specific name of the cereal to be stated in the ingredients list and summary statement as either wheat, barley, oats or rye. 'Gluten' must appear in the summary statements whenever gluten from wheat, rye, oats or barley (or their hybrids) is present. The term 'Cereals containing gluten' cannot be used.
Mollusc and crustacea are separate categories
While the transition to new labelling laws is taking place, make sure you check the packaging carefully because plain English names may not have been used yet.
Further information about the Food Standards Code is available from the FSANZ website:
www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/Pages/default.aspx
Confused about wheat and gluten?
Some people find labelling about gluten and wheat confusing.
Customers with wheat allergy need to avoid all wheat proteins, including gluten. They need to check if wheat is an ingredient rather than just gluten.
People with coeliac disease need to avoid gluten. Gluten is found in wheat and several other grains including rye, barley, oats, spelt or their hybridised strains.
What about 'may contain' statements?
Statements such as "May contain…" and "Made on equipment that also produces products containing…" are examples of precautionary allergen labelling statements.
These statements are voluntary and not regulated by the Food Standards Code.
They are often used to explain that during growing, storing and making the food, the product may have been unintentionally contaminated with an allergen and the product may be a risk to the person with food allergy because even small amounts of an allergen can trigger an allergic reaction.
You should talk to your allergist about whether foods containing precautionary allergen statements should be eaten.
If you would like more information about the level of risk, contact the manufacturer of the product for more information.
Reporting a reaction to packaged food
If you have an allergic reaction to a food after checking the ingredients list, it's important to report your reaction to protect others.
Once you have managed your allergic reaction and recovered, you should report the reaction to the health department.
Information about who to contact and what to do is available from the following link:
How to report a food thought to have triggered an allergic reaction/anaphylaxis
Content updated December 2021
AN ALLERGY AWARENESS PROJECT
About 250k
If you need help, contact the organisation below:
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia
This support line is not an emergency helpline. Please call triple zero (000) for ambulance in an emergency.
An allergy awareness project supported by
This project received funding from the Australian Government Department of Health
Copyright © 2019 National Allergy Strategy


text:
in Current Events , Nonfiction by Mal Warwick
Why are so many homeless in America?
Walk around almost any big American city long enough and you run the risk of tripping over some homeless person sprawled on the sidewalk. The problem has been half a century in the making, but it's gotten far, far worse during the past decade. And nowhere is it more severe than in California's metropolitan cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Here — I'm writing from Berkeley, across the Bay from San Francisco — you're likely to hear any one of a number of explanations for how things have gotten so bad. But if you want to know how to sort through the myths and misconceptions about housing and homelessness in America, a great place to start is Conor Dougherty's outstanding new book, Golden Gates.
Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America by Conor Dougherty (2020) 388 pages
Dougherty's book is no dry academic treatise. It's a lively account focusing on individual people (mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area) who are playing key roles in addressing the challenge of homelessness. If you live in this area, you may be familiar with some of the people Dougherty highlights:
You'll meet Harvard economist Ed Glaeser, housing developers Rick Holliday and Dennis O'Brien, and Scott Wiener, the six-foot-seven California State Senator from San Francisco who has become the point person for housing reform legislation in Sacramento.
Dougherty also introduces teenage tenant Stephanie Hernandez and her mom Sandy whose fight to defend their apartment in the face of a 45% rent increase illustrates one of the central realities of the housing shortage.
You'll also meet housing activists Laura Foote Clarke and Sonja Trauss, who ran unsuccessfully for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Both are leaders in the emerging YIMBY ("Yes-in-my-backyard") movement that seeks to counteract the knee-jerk NIMBYism that has squelched so many plans for housing development.
And you'll meet Damien Goodmon, who has parlayed tens of millions of dollars from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Loss Angeles in support of a statewide rent control measure.
Steve Falk, the former city manager of Lafayette, California, enters the picture, too; he capped a long, successful career there by resigning in the face of intense opposition from the people of the town when he endorsed a measure to build new apartments. (Lafayette is a wealthy suburban town in which almost everyone lives in a single-family home.) There are even two of my own elected officials, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and Lori Droste, who represents my neighborhood on the Berkeley City Council.
Oh, and of course Jerry Brown figures into the story in big ways, too. He served as Governor of California during both periods when our housing shortage was so severe (1975-83 and 2011-19).
Misguided government policy lies at the root of homelessness in America
As Dougherty weaves together the stories of this disparate cast of characters, he gradually unravels the checkered history of government intervention in the American housing market. It quickly becomes clear that the roots of the homelessness that plagues our communities today lie in misguided and discriminatory policy of governments at all levels.
Today's homelessness is, in large part, a manifestation of the institutional racism that drove the GI Bill and the FHA as well as the housing segregation that has long reflected practices in the real estate industry. (For example, "you could not get an FHA-backed loan in mixed-race neighborhoods.") The economic inequality fostered by tax policy that rewards the rich and punishes the poor is a major factor, too. The domination of the automobile industry and heavy government investment in road building that led to the growth of the suburbs was another root cause in that it produced what Dougherty calls "government-sanctioned apartheid." And local control of zoning that favors single-family homes prevents the development of new housing that might ameliorate the problem is a major factor as well. (Sadly, "it was Berkeley, in 1916, that wrote what was probably the nation's first ordinance creating neighborhoods with single-family houses only.")
Homelessness in America reflects a lack of affordable housing
Other factors as well enter into the picture. And homelessness itself is only the most visible aspect of the housing crisis that grips America today. "In the United States," Dougherty writes, "the homeownership rate for young adults is at a multi-decade low, and about a quarter of tenant households spend more than half their income on rent. . . America's largest metro areas [where multitudes flock in search of good jobs] now had about thirty-seven affordable homes and apartments for every hundred very-low-income renter households."
Without fundamental change, government efforts to end homelessness in America will fall flat
In the absence of a massive redistribution of wealth and income that would even slightly flatten the inequality that characterizes America's economy, government may find it virtually impossible to solve this problem. Consider this, for example: "California needed to build 3.5 million homes to even think about solving its housing crisis, and statewide it cost about $425,000 per unit — roughly double the median home price in the nation — to build a 100-unit affordable housing project."
Dougherty doesn't do the math, but I will: 3.5 million times $425,000 equals approximately $1.5 TRILLION. Even the billions that California state government is now devoting to the problem amount to a drop in the bucket — about 0.8 percent of what's needed. Given the economic system in which we live, only the private sector can eliminate the housing shortage. But they'll first need a much broader population base that can afford to buy the homes they build.
Signs of hope are starting to appear
Are there signs of hope? Of course. Here in California, our state government and many municipalities from Los Angeles to Berkeley are waking up and taking action. The city of Minneapolis has abolished single-family zoning, and Scott Wiener is introducing a bill in the California State Senate that would strictly limit single-family zoning statewide. However, as Dougherty makes clear, "There's no way to rectify a housing shortage other than to build housing, and there's no way to take care of people whom the private market won't take care of other than subsidies or rent control, or both." And despite its tendency to suppress housing construction, rent control is expanding — statewide in Oregon, broadened in New York, and freshly adopted in other communities around the nation. Massive construction of subsidized and affordable housing would be far preferable, but people come first.
Bay Area native and Oakland resident Conor Dougherty has covered economics and real estate on the West Coast for both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Golden Gates is his first book.
For another enlightening book about housing in America, see my review of Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond, at Does the profit motive cause homelessness?
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Political opposition research dominates this edgy thriller