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Top 12 Spots to Kickoff Halloween in NYC 2019
Farah Lopez
Village Halloween Parade (starts in SoHo and goes north through Greenwich Village): For more than 40 years, this NYC tradition has taken over the streets to celebrate the holiday with creativity and a sense of community. There will be giant puppets, live music from dozens of bands, dancers, artists and more. Those wanting to showcase their costume for onlookers to see can take part in this public parade—show up to the junction of Canal St. & Sixth Ave. between 6:30 pm-8:30 pm, dressed up and ready to go. The parade starts at 7 pm and ends around 11 pm. The parade route will be crowded, so those wanting to grab a good spot to watch the festivities should plan accordingly. NY1 will broadcast the parade live on television from 8-9:30 pm.
The Springs Presents Walk of Fear (Greenpoint): The Springs launched an immersive haunted experience called Walk of Fear, open now through October 31st on Friday and Saturday from 6pm-midnight, and Sunday-Thursday from 6-11 pm. Expect ominous lighting, creepy vignettes and entertainment that will leave you thirsty for The Springs' new fall cocktails. Cost of entry is one drink minimum per person. Halloween cocktails and slushies include zombie blood with Spring 44 Gin, Blue Curacao, passion fruit cordial and a blue sugar rim and the blood and sands slushie with Monkey Shoulder scotch, cherry liquor, Antica sweet vermouth, and orange juice, and the pumpkin crush Slushie with High West Bourbon and pumpkin spice.
Merchant's House Museum (NoHo): The New York Times has called this place "Manhattan's Most Haunted House." A National Historic Landmark, the Merchant's House Museum was once home to the Tredwell family for several generations and some of its members are said to still be "living" at the house, so to speak. The house has been open to the public as a museum for the past 80 years and there have been many reports of strange happenings as witnessed by visitors, staff members, neighbors and the like. The "Candlelight Ghost Tour" tickets sell out quickly so pick your tickets today, but if it's sold out you can still go visit the museum during its usual hours noon-5 pm, Friday through Monday, as well as from noon-8 pm on Thursday.
One if by Land, Two if by Sea (West Village): This historic restaurant is often called one of the most romantic dining establishments in the city… but it's also rumored to be one of the most haunted. Aaron Burr and his daughter Theodosia are supposedly two of the more well-known ghosts that frequent this former carriage house of the late Vice President and duel partner of Alexander Hamilton. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, this restaurant's setting is both gorgeous and intriguing.
Vashtie Presents: 1992 Halloween Party at Schimanski (Greenpoint): Vashtie is bringing its iconic 1992 Party to Schimanski for a 90's Halloween beginning at 9 pm. Since 2006 Vashtie's parties have attracted all party-goers and especially 80's and 90's babies looking to really party like it's 1992. Entry is 21+ and for VIP tables email vip@schimanskinyc.com. General Admission tickets are $20.
Freak Show Party at Sunday in Brooklyn (Williamsburg, BK): From veterans of Eleven Madison Park, Catch, and Sadelle's, Sunday in Brooklyn combines a market, bar, coffeehouse and sit-down restaurant into one all-day spot. Come have a freaky-fun night this Halloween in Williamsburg and reminisce your favorite childhood SCARY tales! Ticket price ($75pp) includes stationed snacks and three drink tickets (additional drink tickets can be purchased for $10/each)—plus, there will be face painting, tattoos, live entertainment, costume prizes, giveaways and late-night pizza delivery from Domino's! The party is from 8 pm- 1 am and reservations can be made via Resy.
Scary Bazaar at Grand Bazaar NYC (Upper West Side): On Sunday, October 27th, Manhattan's longest running curated market Grand Bazaar NYC will host its Scary Bazaar from 10 am-5:30 pm, where their 100+ vendors will dress up in costume. The market will have a children puppet maker doing shows for kids hourly and unique candy will be for sale. The market will be decorated for the holiday and many of the vendors will provide samples when kids come by a shout trick or treat. More than 100 vendors appear weekly at Grand Bazaar NYC and 100 percent of the Bazaar's profits from booth rentals are donated to four local public school, benefiting more than 4,000 children.
Ghosts, Zombies and Witches Unite at Slate's Halloween Weekend (Flatiron): Kick off Halloween weekend at Slate with their Celebrity Graveyard and Zombie Apocalypse Halloween parties. Party with your favorite celebs from beyond the grave on Friday, October 25th at 9 pm, Early Bird tickets are $25 and can be purchased here. Dance with the living dead for the Zombie Apocalypse on Saturday, October 26th at 9 pm. Ticket purchases include a vodka open bar for one hour between 9-10 pm.
There's a $1000 Cash Prize at Zeppelin Hall's Halloween Party (Jersey City): Zeppelin Hall in Jersey City will host a Halloween party on Saturday, October 26th with a costume contest worth dressing up for. Top prize will take home $1,000 in cash. The party kicks off at 9 pm and will have a live DJ and free admission.
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park (Midtown): The annual "Tricks and Treats" event is on Halloween from 4-6:30 pm. In fact, Winter Village will be opening on Halloween this year! The free festivities will kick off with trick-or-treating at the Holiday Shops, followed by scary stories and a monster mash with Cali Co Cat, magic tricks by Justin the Magician, pumpkin decorating, arts & crafts and face painting. Those who come in costume will be invited to pick up a free trick-or-treat bag courtesy of Bank of America. While there, guests will be encouraged to visit the Holiday Shops, grab a hot chocolate in The Lodge by Urbanspace and head to The Rink, NYC's only free-admission skating rink.
Freehold (Brooklyn) is celebrating Halloween by transforming its space into a whimsical "Malice in Wonderland." Step on the red carpet to get your photo snapped by a team of zombie paparazzi, head up to the Haunted Hills and make your way into the Lobby Bar for live music, DJs and spooky spirits. Come dressed to impressed as the ones we miss the most and enter into the Bloody Red Carpet Competition. No cover. Doors at 8 pm.
Houston Hall (Downtown): Join Houston Hall for a Halloween Bash on Oct. 26th from 10 pm to 2 am (Tickets $10.) There will be a DJ all-night, a costume contest with big prizes and classic horror movies playing on the big screen. Specialty beers like Oktoberfest Lager & Imperial Pumpkin Ale are on tap to quench your All Hallows' Eve thirst. Tickets are available at the door or online.
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The Cowboys return to the practice field today to began preparing for a Sunday home date against the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. Dallas has won its last four games and sits atop the NFC East at 7-and-5. Philadelphia is right behind at 6-and-6 after beating the Redskins 28-13 Monday night. The Cowboys won the first encounter 27-20 last month in Philly.


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Culture, Entertainment, Floridians
by Jessica Giles | November 10, 2020
This Parkland teen is already taking Hollywood by storm
Ariana Greenblatt hasn't even turned 14, and she's already starred in everything from Disney Channel series to blockbuster films. Photography by Robyn Breen Shinn.
Ariana Greenblatt has accomplished more before her 13th birthday than most people will in a lifetime. The budding star from Parkland has appeared in everything from Disney series like Liv and Maddie and Stuck in the Middle to blockbuster films such as Avengers: Infinity War and even salsa'd all the way to the finals of Dancing with the Stars: Juniors (which might come in handy for her role as young Nina in the upcoming In the Heights movie adaptation). It's exactly this versatility that's made her a Hollywood hit before she's even entered high school, nailing the innocent, endearing role of Julia in The One and Only Ivan while bringing depth and spunkiness to her fearless Minnow character in Love and Monsters, just recently released in October. Impossible to type-cast and always up to the challenge, Greenblatt continues to add impressive roles to her resume, from voice acting in the 2021 Boss Baby sequel to starring alongside Gina Rodriguez in Netflix's upcoming sci-fi thriller Awake. You never quite know what the South Florida native will do next, and that's just how she likes it.
Your busy acting career has moved you to Los Angeles full time. What do you miss the most about the Sunshine State?
AG: I have to say the beaches because I used to go there all the time with my family and friends. It was just so warm and beautiful and the sand was amazing. The Florida beaches are like bathwater, it's just incredible. The beaches in LA are cold and rocky.
You starred in the film adaptation of the children's book The One and Only Ivan earlier this year. What was it like to take your character Julia from the page to the screen?
AG: I always feel like bringing the character to life is one of my favorite parts of acting. It's just so magical to put each detail on like the costume, the hair, the makeup, the everything. I talked to the director, Thea [Sharrock], a lot and got a bunch of little ideas for Julia. It's just such a magical moment to see a character come from what's written on the script into life and have my own details and create such a beautiful character.
Greenblatt is always looking for roles that challenge her. Photography by Robyn Breen Shinn.
Speaking of hair and makeup, you had some pretty extensive body paint for your role as young Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War. How long did it take to get into costume each day?
AG: Oh my God, yes. It was so funny because every day I was on set, the makeup artists tried to beat their time that they had the day before, which I was just mesmerized by. So they did all the prosthetics, all the different layers of paint and the metal tattoos and everything. It took up to three hours, which is crazy because I first thought, "Okay, they're just going to do like one layer of green paint." They put like seven different layers of yellow, lime green, and dark green and put freckles on my face. It's crazy. So, watching the steps each day was so mesmerizing.
What sorts of things do you look for when it comes to the roles that you're offered?
AG: I always try to find a challenge with every role I do because doing something I've never done before is super important, and I love challenging myself. And also I love reading the script to get a clear idea of what the project is, and I can see the team who's attached to it. But yeah, doing my research definitely and seeing if it's challenging.
You have so many exciting new projects on the horizon, including playing Gina Rodriguez's daughter in the upcoming Netflix movie Awake. What was it like to film with Gina?
AG: I love Gina so much. She's literally family to me at this point. She's incredibly inspiring, especially because she's a fellow Puerto Rican just like me. So I was so excited to have the opportunity to work with her. She always made me laugh. Yeah, she's just incredible in every way.
Gina Rodriguez has been a role mode in the industry. for Greenblatt. Photography courtesy of Ariana Greenblatt.
How does it feel to know that you're a role model for so many girls and young women, especially Latinas?
AG: To be honest, I feel super honored that so many people look up to me. I mean I'm literally only 13 years old. So to think that I can make them smile or laugh or inspire them is really crazy, and it's an amazing feeling. I also always just want to be a good example. And also, being a Latina in Hollywood is extremely hard. So I think Hollywood definitely has to change and to see more Latinas and Latinos in leading roles because I didn't really grow up watching people who look like me on TV. So I think if Hollywood can change and I could be someone for young Latina girls, it's just mind-blowing to me.
What upcoming project are you most excited for the world to see?
AG: Ah, that's hard, There are so many! I probably have to say Boss Baby because I've never done any voice acting before other than the Scooby-Doo thing. So I think that could be really cool. And my baby cousin Sophia, that's going to be probably one of the first things she sees me in, so I feel like that's going to be awesome. I just am so excited for all of them. They're like my babies.
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Well, I'm a writer. My two comics are Tales of the Traveling Gnome, found here on DD as well as other places around the 'net… and Tales of Pylea.
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11 Very Different Stories On Having Kids (Or Not)
11 Very Different Stories On Having Children (Or Not)
In order to have a more open and compassionate dialogue around the many routes to parenthood, we asked 11 people and families: What was your fertility journey?
Molly Longman
Photographed by ioulex Makeup and hair by Yui Ishibashi for She Likes Cutie
Piera Gelardi, 39, executive creative director and co-founder of Refinery29
Fertility Journey: IVF, miscarriage, gestational surrogacy
When you try hard for something and it doesn't come to you, you can start to doubt yourself, to doubt if the thing you want is meant for you in the first place.
In seven years of trying to have a baby, I had plenty of time to question.
I started off blindly hopeful. I stopped taking my birth control, thinking it would just happen in its own time. (I called it "not not trying" to get pregnant.) My husband and I weren't totally sure we were "ready" to be parents, but everyone says you're never ready, so we decided to give it a go. One day, my period was late and I fully freaked out. I was terrified that it was happening! The next day my period came. I was perplexed by the mixed emotions as I processed both disappointment and relief.
After a year of "not not trying" and not getting pregnant, I decided to go see my Ob/Gyn. That's when the barrage of needles, tests, and discoveries started.
I quickly learned my path to becoming a mum would be a winding one, and over the years, I built up a whole parade of issues. First it was hypothyroidism, then PCOS, then I learned I had a large pedunculated uterine fibroid, and finally that I have a unicornuate uterus, which is a genetic defect I'd lived with my whole life and only discovered at 36.
Please don't feel bad for me. I loathe being pitied. That's why I lied to most of my friends and family through the years of trying, and told them I was too busy having fun to have kids.
The way we talk about infertility — the dreaded "barren womb" — is all wrong. Barren means bleak, empty, lifeless, but I didn't feel that way. My life was so full, exciting, and worthy of celebrating, with or without a baby. The feeling that something was missing ebbed and flowed, but I felt that if I told people, I would have to carry around their sadness for me like a heavy reminder of what wasn't in my life when what I deeply needed was to feel the beauty of all that was.
On my 37th birthday I got pregnant via IVF. It felt like a fortuitous sign. Then at 13 weeks I miscarried dramatically in the office bathroom. So much came crashing down.
Two doctors told me that I'd likely have to get pregnant several more times to stretch my uterus. This meant I might have to endure a series of miscarriages — each at a later stage — until I could carry to full term. Since this was a hard path to electively go down, I decided to open myself to all the options. I had a call with an adoption agency, learned about surrogacy, and pondered how I might "mother" in other non-traditional ways.
In the midst of everything, an unfathomable offer came my way. My sister-in-law Teresa offered to carry a baby for me and my husband. I was floored by her generosity, awestruck that someone would do something of that magnitude for us.
Last November, my daughter Viva was born into a sea of love. Brought forth by the most beautiful act of generosity and kindness. And in the moment she was born, all of my doubts washed away and I felt the most uncanny sense of calm and clarity. What was meant for me — and had always been meant for me — was finally here.
In the seven years it took for me to become a mum, I spent a lot of time wondering, questioning what the future might hold. Now every day I'm awoken (a little earlier than I would like) by Viva's singing. When I peer into her crib and her face lights up at the sight of mine, the present moment is the only one that counts.
Amy Emmerich, 43, president and chief content officer of Refinery29
Colin Oberschmidt, 40, studio technician
Fertility journey: Male infertility, IVF
Colin: We were married in October of '09, and I had a sperm analysis in November of 2010. That test came up pretty much normal, which threw us in the wrong direction. In August of 2011 the same test came back showing I had zero sperm, so there may have been a false positive.
Amy: I was pissed when I realised that Colin's sperm mobility was what was holding us back from having children. I was 35-years-old and every doctor assumed it was "my age." I felt like we wasted time and money. I felt ignorant. How could I not have had the information I needed about my body? I felt sorry for Colin, I was prepared to carry the burden, but I don't think he was. And for a man to have lower sperm count affects everything about him.
Colin: For me, there was never a big shock. Frustration was definitely the feeling. And not having answers.
Amy: No doctor could explain to him why this happened, one test was fine, but the rest weren't. He got poked, prodded, tested, and no answers. There's not enough money for male fertility issues — most of the money and research is around female issues. So, the information is limited. It's not just us who are going through this — male sperm count has been consistently decreasing since the '50s.
Colin: I had to see a urologist and doctors ultimately prescribed Clomid, a drug often prescribed to stimulate ovulation in women. In men, it can trigger an increase in testosterone and the creation of more sperm. I quit drinking for almost a year, and we did tons of tests. Through the process, I didn't open up much. I'm not a big sharer. I did talk to a coworker who's gone through something similar, and who helped me navigate what our insurance would cover.
Amy: This experience shook me. Gone was the magical notion that you can "just get pregnant" when you have sex. There would never be an "oops" miracle. It made me question everything. Should we be together? Were we not supposed to have children? A year of therapy helped us get to the next step and try IVF.
Colin: I was eventually able to produce sperm and we did IVF. Luckily, my insurance covers up to $10,000 (£7,740) in fertility treatments, and we ended up with eight viable zygotes. We inseminated two the first time, and froze the remaining six.
We went to the doctor two weeks after that transfer, and the ultrasound revealed one embryo was doing well. We were pumped, but it was very early. We had two implanted into Amy's uterine wall. One ended up being Emzy, our daughter, the other split very early and ended up miscarrying. It was very scary. Amy woke up one night with a bunch of blood at four or five in the morning. But there was still the one, and she still looked great. At around the 12-week mark, we told people that we were having Emzy, who's six years old now. We weren't keeping the whole thing a secret. I told my mum, but we weren't engaging with people that much about it. We weren't sure if we would be successful or not. When Emzy was nine months old, we went through the procedure again and that led to Flash, who is five years old now. I tried not to think about a lot of things I felt in my heart during the process — but this whole time, I knew we were going to be successful. Maybe there's a societal stigma about not being able to conceive "naturally," but having two kids really outweighs the stigma for us.
Amy: There are both small and large parts of being a parent that are amazing. My favourite two times of the day are the hour I get in the morning for cuddling and then reading time with the kids at night. On a larger level, your kids reflect all the great and bad about you. Every day is about growing up alongside them, and that's pretty significant.
Christene Barberich, co-founder and global editor-in-chief of Refinery29
Fertility Journey: Miscarriages, IVF
As science-driven as the fertility world has become, it's been my experience that it's also very archaic in how it measures fertility and assesses protocol. You have to figure out where you are on the spectrum — beyond just being "fertile" or "infertile." I've learned there can be so much nuance. When I began trying to get pregnant, the first three doctors I worked with — all highly respected physicians specialising in fertility — gave me the same tests and assessed me based on the same markers. My "advanced maternal age" (I was 41 when I started) was the most significant. But none of them could understand why I kept getting pregnant over and over again, yet couldn't maintain the pregnancy. It wasn't until I worked with Dr. Jeffrey Braverman, a reproductive immunologist, and his partner Dr. Andrea Vidali, that I learned how specific each woman's case really is. You just have to find the doctor who has the patience and tenacity to help you get there.
What I've learned is that fertility challenges don't discriminate. Some things are easy to remedy and others are a little more involved. We all just need to find the path that works for us and makes us feel strong and able, not sad and broken. Regrettably, I believe the latter is how our culture still views women who struggle with pregnancy.
Everything in your life changes in an instant when you have a baby. And it takes some time to catch up. I cried a lot (the sleep deprivation didn't help). And I felt I could only cry to the friends I knew who wouldn't judge me or make me feel inadequate. I think there's an assumption that if you work so hard to have a baby for as long as I did you're not allowed to complain or have doubts. Like, How dare I? But the friends that let me lay myself bare as I adapted are the ones I'm indebted to. And my husband, of course.
No one prepares you for how life-altering having a baby is. Before she was born, I had so many worries, too many to count, but when she arrived, even though she was seven weeks early, I just knew that my life — a new one — had begun. As scared as I was and as all over the place as I felt with my crash of hormones, I would look at her and just be in complete disbelief that after nearly 10 years of trying to have a baby, she was finally here. But she is.
Cori Smith, 28, activist, public speaker, artist
Fertility Journey: Egg freezing, endometriosis, hysterectomy
Unfortunately, unlike many transgender people, my transition wasn't my first medical priority. That's because I had endometriosis, which I was diagnosed with at 16. It caused debilitating abdominal pain and put my transition on the back-burner.
I began my medical transition at 23, and after eight months of taking testosterone I was still having period spotting, which is uncommon. Since I first started menstruating at 13, I've always had heavy, horribly painful periods. And, even while taking testosterone, I started having really severe issues that made me collapse at work. My father would have to pick me up to take me to urgent care. I knew this was the endometriosis, and not even the testosterone was helping. At that point, I started looking into a hysterectomy. But I always knew that I wanted my own biological children.
If you want to have biological children when you're in my position, it's going to cost a lot of money. Adoption is also an option, but I wanted the opportunity to have my own kids, too. To me, it was really important because my family is very small, and most of our blood relatives are back in Scotland. So as I prepared for my hysterectomy, I went to see a fertility specialist to freeze my eggs.
I got help from my parents to pay for the surgical aspect, which was somewhere between $5,000 (£3,870)and $6,000 (£4,643). They knew this was their best shot at getting grandchildren, so they were willing to help. There was also medication leading up to the retrieval, which ordinarily would have been approximately another $4,000 (£3,095). But I filled out Fertility Lifelines Compassionate Care Application for financial assistance. Because of my income level, I got about 75% of the medication costs covered. So, it was only about $1,500 or $2,000 (£770-£1,550) for medicine for me.
I had to stop taking the testosterone and begin taking hormones for the egg retrieval — such as "Gonal-F," a follicle-stimulating hormone, and Novarel, which triggers egg release. It was hard to go off testosterone when I had been on it for so long. People had begun to look at me and automatically gender me as a man, which I'd always wanted, so it was difficult to halt that process. But I was able to look at the big picture. Three weeks of going off testosterone was the price I had to pay for the chance at a biological child.
Because I was on testosterone for so long, and because my ovaries had been through hell thanks to surgeries for endometriosis, I wasn't even sure if the egg retrieval would work. But I ended up getting 14 eggs. They're still frozen. The plan is to hopefully get sperm from my partner and use a surrogate to have a completely biological child. Which is pretty amazing, given that we're a gay male couple.
Sade Strehlke, 32, health & wellness director, Refinery29
Fertility Journey: High-risk pregnancy
When I was 25 I was diagnosed with Lupus. It's an autoimmune disorder that causes fatigue, joint pant, skin issues, and possible organ failure — it can also make conceiving harder and pregnancy tricky. Luckily, I'm a bit of a hypochondriac so I went to the doctor as soon as I felt "off," and as a result my Lupus is pretty well regulated, with just one medication, plaquenil, an antimalarial drug with minimal side effects. I don't require steroids or immunosuppressants like others afflicted with the disease. But the higher chance of difficulty getting pregnant, miscarriage, birth defects, along with the effects of this daily and lifelong pill, were on my mind when I decided to have a baby.
After being married for six years, my husband and I just looked at each other one day and said: "What are we waiting for?" There were some obstacles: We lived in different states. He was in a rigorous PhD program that was a four hour car drive away. I'd be alone during most of the pregnancy. But that moment, at the cusp of my 30th birthday, was the right time to start trying — especially if we might run into trouble and need medical intervention to make our hope of four to six kids a reality. (We've always been ambitious dreamers.)
I was thriving in my career and it made no sense to keep on waiting. I'd watched my mother try and not be able to give me a sibling in her mid 30s, and I knew I wouldn't have the mental fortitude to go through that. So I downloaded a fertility app to figure out when I was ovulating, bought a special lube that was supposed to make sperm swim faster, and put my legs up in the air for 10 to 15 minutes after sex. I got pregnant the first month we tried. I was elated, but thoroughly shocked that it happened so quickly. I was like: Daycare, shit. My husband has two to three years left of school, shit. My career, shit. The permanent entrance into adulthood, shit. The nausea, tiredness, dizziness, twisted fibroids (those were new), low progesterone, gender disappointment, gestational diabetes scare, 60 lbs weight gain... shit, shit, shit, shit, shit — and shit.
However, after that dreadful first trimester, the pregnancy was relatively easy and low-key. I had about twice the doctor appointments that a pregnant woman with no autoimmune disorder would have, but every single test — including four foetal echocardiograms, because babies born to people with lupus have a chance of developing neonatal lupus and congenital heart block — revealed nothing. The hardest part by far was being away from my husband and not being spoiled by a partner like in the movies.
Around 35 or so weeks I learned I'd be induced (which I'd later find out is its own special hell) around 39 weeks in order to make sure everything kept going smoothly, as you can run into more problems as the baby grows. That ended in a 24-hour labor, two hours of pushing, a C-section, and postpartum preeclampsia. But in the very end, I got my precious Harrison. A very large, very loving, very rambunctious baby who's almost two now. As we start thinking about the second one, I hope everything will be as "easy." But if it's not, that's okay. Harry's here, and he's all I need.
Susan*, 33, paediatric cardiologist
Fertility Journey: IVF, miscarriages, adoption
After trying for a year to conceive naturally, we went to a fertility clinic and had every work-up imaginable. We ended up doing four fresh cycles of IVF and eight embryo transfers over the course of about five years, for a total of five negative pregnancy tests and three miscarriages.
When our doctor suggested a fifth, fresh cycle of IVF, we opted out. We were tired of all the science. I felt like an experiment. None of this felt natural, and I thought maybe we should take it as a sign that we weren't meant to be using so much technology to grow our family.
After that, it was a pretty easy decision to turn to adoption. I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, because I do carry some guilt that the IVF didn't work. We had no idea how adoption worked or where to start. There were hundreds of pages of paperwork from all the different agencies, and we ended up using The Adoption Consultancy as a tour guide through the craziness. One weekend, we just sat at our kitchen table and powered through all the pages. We stayed in PJs all day, and probably worked for eight hours nonstop to get through it all.
We were lucky to get matched to an expecting mother so quickly, because some people wait years. The birth mother chooses you, and you never know what somebody is looking for. You try your best to portray who you are, but it's a challenge if you're not chosen. It makes you wonder if there's something about you that's off-putting, but honestly everyone wants something different: a stay-at-home mum, a person who works, someone who lives in the city, or on a farm. It's so subjective. We just tried to be ourselves.
We ended up getting matched with an expecting mother in late July 2018. Our son's birth mum was only 12 weeks at the time, so it was a long wait. He was born prematurely in December, but — unbeknownst to us or the adoption agency — she was considering not going through with the adoption at all. She didn't tell anyone she gave birth. She had stopped answering my messages and wasn't meeting with the agency as she was supposed to. On New Year's Eve, we got the shock of our lives when the agency called to tell us that she'd actually given birth two weeks ago. In the end, she decided to sign the papers after all. We were supposed to be hosting a New Year's party that night, but it turned into a different sort of celebration. We were toasting to our family. We got on a plane Jan. 1, and flew to Florida to meet our son. He was still in the NICU, but was discharged a few weeks later.
He's now almost four months old. He's meeting his milestones, gaining weight like a fiend, has the chubbiest cheeks, and the sweetest smile. I can't imagine my life without him. I'm amazed every day that it's possible to love someone this much. There's no doubt in my mind that our path was leading us to him — it was just a matter of timing.
*Requested not to use her last name for privacy reasons
Laura Delarato, 32, senior creative at Refinery29 and founder of the newsletter 1-800-HEYLAURA
Fertility Journey: Childless by choice
I had a dream that I was pregnant when I was 15. When I woke up, I had extreme feelings of anxiety. I felt like because I made a baby that I had to give up on every single thing that made me who I am in my life. I wasn't willing to give myself up, and I was so scared for the baby. It was an interesting dream, and it helped me make the pretty massive decision not to have kids.
It's not to say that I don't love kids, but the idea of raising a child and putting myself on the back-burner is something I don't want to do. I wouldn't want to bring a child into a world where they aren't my first priority. I would say that's an incredibly emotionally mature and responsible thing to consider. I would never say to someone that their want or need to have a child is any more or less valuable than what I'm doing for me.
Women live in this world where we're constantly told our only goal in life is to have children. We're told we have this miracle power to birth humans, so why waste it? I wouldn't say that I'm wasting that opportunity, but rather that I'm giving myself the ability and autonomy to achieve my goals. It's okay for me to want my body for myself and not for a kid.
I grew up in a really close family unit, where family is recognised as the most important thing. There's a parade for anyone who has a child. But I go against the norm. I celebrate with my family every time there's a birth, and I kiss the babies. But I still don't feel the need to have one.
My true goal in life is to be the woman who made an entire generation of women stop hating themselves with my writing and my newsletter about body and sex positivity. I don't get a normal amount of sleep in my schedule trying to do that now, so how am I going to fit this baby into that? Without kids, I have so much more time to do my passion projects and make the world a better place.
Georgie Wileman, 30, professional photographer
Fertility Journey: Endometriosis, adenomyosis, and hysterectomy
Before my hysterectomy, pain was totally dominating my life. I got to the point where I couldn't walk; I was in a wheelchair. I was diagnosed with endometriosis, a painful disorder that causes tissue similar to the inside of your uterus to grow outside of it, and adenomyosis, a sister disease of endometriosis, which means the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows into its muscular wall. To treat the endometriosis, I had many surgeries including ablation, during which doctors remove growths and scar tissue or destroy them with intense heat. During my fourth surgery, I was diagnosed with adenomyosis. Finally, on my sixth surgery, I finally had a hysterectomy to treat the adenomyosis.
Before that, I lived on the couch covered in heating pads and ice packs. For me, having a hysterectomy wasn't a question, because I wasn't living life. It was no existence at all — my family and partner had to take care of me. As soon as I heard that I had adenomyosis, I knew that I needed to have a hysterectomy. I truly believed that it was what I needed, but my surgeon said I couldn't have the hysterectomy right away. He wanted to save my uterus as much as he could. That made me feel, at the time, that my potential children's lives were being put before my own. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted a hysterectomy.
My life now is way better. Just being able to walk six miles in a day and do what I love, reaffirms that. But I think the hysterectomy certainly did hit me hard afterwards, knowing that I can't have my own children. I'm very excited to adopt one day, but having children is still something that I'm grieving for. When I see children in the street playing, it's difficult in the moment. It upsets me, and I live quite close to a few schools, which is tricky. But I'm sure that'll will pass.
The first thing my partner said when we came out of the ultrasound that confirmed I had adenomyosis was this: "The world doesn't need more children, it needs more parents."
Jamie Stelter, 37, NY1 traffic anchor and co-host of Mornings On 1, Spectrum New NY1,
Fertility Journey: IVF, miscarriages
For the longest time, I would tell all of my friends that I wanted five babies. So far, I've had five miscarriages, one baby, and am expecting my second in four months. My husband and I knew even when we were dating that we wanted a big family. We envisioned big family dinners, and lots of activities.
We started trying to conceive in 2014. Eventually, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, which prevented me from ovulating. After seeing a fertility specialist, we tried intrauterine insemination. The first time it didn't work, but the second time it did. At nine weeks, however, I miscarried. I had to undergo a dilation and curettage — commonly known as a D&C — to remove the foetus from my uterus. Then I got pregnant soon after without any intervention with identical twins, but lost both. In a period of three months, I lost three babies.
We took a little break, and then tried IVF. We had a really successful egg retrieval, and wound up with six healthy embryos. They implanted the healthiest of the batch and that's our daughter, Sunny. She's two now, and just starting to talk.
When she was nine months old we decided to try again, and I got pregnant after the first embryo transfer. We thought we had cracked our fertility code, but at nine weeks I miscarried. I took pill similar to misoprostol, used to help empty the uterus during abortions and miscarriages. I inserted it into my vagina, the way I would a tampon. It basically bombed my uterus, and the result was probably one of the most traumatic nights of my life — it was painful, and I bled like something out of a horror movie. I thought, I'm bleeding out a baby that I wanted. It's devastating.
Next, I had a chemical pregnancy, meaning I miscarried early on, before most women even know they're pregnant. I felt like, even though Sunny didn't know, I was letting her down, because we were trying to give her a sibling. I was so mad at my body. I was so mad at everything.
The money part of this was also stressful. We are very privileged, and I'm aware of my privilege for being able to even try IVF, but the money stuff still worried me. My husband Brian just kept saying, "You focus on everything else, don't worry about the money." But it was so hard not to have that weight on me knowing that each try cost a lot. Each cycle cost a different amount, based on how much insurance was used versus how much was paid out of pocket. It costs about $15,000 (£11,610) for a full cycle of IVF, including procedures and medications.
We ended up doing another egg retrieval because all embryos are graded, and each time we tried, we were using an embryo with a worse grade than the next. So our doctor recommended we try for another batch of "Sunny grade" embryos, as we like to call them. It worked, and I'm now more than six months pregnant and due in August. We would love to have more babies, but I never thought each one would take so much time and so much of a toll on my body. For now, I'm looking forward to having another little person at the family dinner table I always imagined.
Michelle Herrera Mulligan, 44, senior editor at Atria books, motivational speaker, novelist, and journalist
My partner and I have made the decision to not have human children. It's complicated, however, because in the Latino community families are very close-knit, and family is everything. It was a foregone conclusion that of course I would have kids. All that really matters in life is family. But I was conflicted. Deep down in my heart, I knew that to be able to make it from where I was to where I was going in life, it was very unlikely that kids were going to be in that picture.
When I was a teenager, I was in a pretty high stress environment. My younger brother is disabled — he has a life-threatening illness. So we were constantly going to the ER. My mum was always struggling to make it, and we were all working so hard. I got a job when I was 12. When people asked me what I wanted to do when I grow up, I just thought: I want things to be calm. I want to have a calm life where things are beautiful and I have the time and the space to value and appreciate art. And to cultivate really incredible relationships, have lots of adventures, and a lot of idle time. Maybe that sounds strange, but like, none of those things were in my life as a child. Everybody I knew who had kids was struggling to make ends meet.
My mum used to tell me: "No, you're going to change your mind." There were times when I did change my mind. But I always ended up coming back to my original decision.
When people say you're going to change your mind, it really undermines who you are and your identity as a woman. Regardless of the identity that you create for yourself — whether it's an artist, executive, or teacher — there's going to be somebody out there questioning it. Someone making you doubt yourself. Research shows that women are questioned at every turn, in the workplace, in school, even from the time they're able to talk, walk, and think. So when you latch onto an identity and a desire for yourself as a human being, and then people try to plant seeds of doubt in you, it's harmful. You're being undermined. It's as if to say, everything that you fought for, everything that you've worked for, everything that means something profound to you, doesn't matter.
Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez, 30, active-duty service member in the U.S. Navy, co-owner of SW3AT Sauna Studio.
Tamiah Brevard-Rodriguez, 35, director of the undergraduate research center at Rutgers University, co-owner of SW3AT Sauna Studio.
Fertility Journey: IVF
Alyza: We've been together for seven years. We actually met because I was her personal trainer. Miah's carrying my egg. I went through the IVF process and removed my eggs in August of last year and a [fertilised] egg was transferred to Tamiah last December. We chose to have a child in this way so that we could both be included in the process and so the baby feels a connection with both of us.
Tamiah: We went to Florida for the holiday after the transfer and we were just trying to keep our minds off it. We were just wondering if the transfer worked, and we were riding actual roller coasters to keep our mind off things.
Alyza: The whole process was a rollercoaster really.
Tamiah: Yes there were a lot of shots. We both took shots at some point, she had three needles a night for a few weeks, and I took a combination of oestrogen and progesterone each morning for nine weeks. I would have welts on my back, because I was allergic to the sesame oil in one.
Alyza: By the end we were both so hormonal and overly emotional. It turns turn you into a teenager. It was all so crazy. But we thrive in chaos.
Tamiah: She thrives better than I do. I'm a worrier. I was Googling all the symptoms and things that could go wrong with this.
Alyza: Yes, but she's the calm to my chaotic storm. You can't do this process without some anxiety, though. You have to think about everything so carefully, like what your insurance will cover, and how to pick a doctor. We wanted a doctor who was going to understand us. Who's worked with women of colour. You have to look at that, people have their own biases, and you don't want those to shine through when you're trying to create a family.
Tamiah: Even picking a sperm donor wasn't easy. We wanted someone who was genetically similar to me, so that she could have as much of both of us as she could.
Alyza: We got a positive pregnancy test on Christmas Day. We just found out that we're having a girl. I'm just excited to create an amazing human being. There's a lot of crappy people in the world, so it's important to create a next generation that's kind and smart and innovative. Her being kind is the most important thing to us. She'll have thick skin because she has two mums. She'll be sensitive to the fact that everyone needs love. We'll definitely instil in her: "You are different, so be kind to others who are different."
DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION ANDREINA CARRILLO. ANIMATION BY MISHA TOWNSEND.
FIND MORE FERTILITY SPECTRUM STORIES HERE
For Years, I Thought I Couldn't Have A Child, But Guess What...
by Christene Barberich
The Fertility Spectrum: A New Way To Talk About & Understand Your Reproductive Health
by Cory Stieg
I'm Freezing My Eggs Because I Want The Same Freedom That Men Have
by Genevieve Angelson
Do I Need To Worry About My Fertility?
What To Say To Friends With Fertility Issues
The Single Mum's Guide To Childcare
Fertility Treatments Options, Told Through Real Stories
written by Molly Longman
Designed by Andreina Carrillo
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What types of UPVC windows can spruce up the appearance of home?
These days upvc is the must have for doors and windows, and this trend is going up and up. Nowadays we can see UPVC as a perfect blend of modernity and advanced features that brighten up the home appearance. If we talk about UPVC, then let me tell you it's tough and durable which is heat resistant. We don't have to pay much attention to high maintenance. It can be easily cleaned with high-quality detergent. UPVC doors in Nottingham are available by different manufacturers because of durability and long lasting feature, and similarly we can see the vast variety of windows as well anywhere we come across upvc doors we would see windows as well. It can be customized in numerous shapes and designs. In this blog, we are going to let you know types of upvc windows that are enticing the home appearance.
These type of windows offer Cross ventilation for a home with amazing lightings. This is easy to operate and give a clear view. Such kind of windows is energy efficient because they block airflow air from flowing inside to outside. Sliding windows save space, and it doesn't occupy the space with standard windows. These windows will give the larger appearance to your home.
The most significant advantage of French windows gives luminous touch in your home. French windows use to have window glass frame. It makes our home spacious, and people are opting this for providing a magnificent view of lawns and gardens. It can be decorated with curtains or blinds to give the lustrous feel.
Such windows are fixed with side mounted hinges. This one is preferred for windows design. It can open widely as much as we can to compare fixed windows. Casement windows are a great source of providing high security because it's difficult to break in and hook-shaped incorporated with a frame that is not touchable from outside.
These are made up of movable panels which are known as sashes. Two sash windows are in use of ages, and it continues as one of the most popular choices that depend on traditional homes. We use to get the perfect mixture of attractiveness. It provides double ventilation when both sash windows are opened and a perfect way for cool air to let in and to exit the warm air from the top of the room.
These are the upvc windows types that can spruce up the appearance of the area of your home. Get the best companies who manufactures windows and doors of high quality at affordable prices. Composite doors Nottingham is one of those renowned companies who offer the best designs of doors and windows with great and unique designs.
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What to ponder while buying Loft Ladders?


This tangent is the result of noticing that the distance between two iPhone camera lenses, side-by-side, are about the same distance as our pupils. So, a ready-made stereoscopic camera paired with my close proximity to Yellowstone/Teton resulted in a lazy homage to William Henry Jackson. I say lazy, because his stereo views required a bit more effort. Just a bit.
*To view individual photos in 3D, purchase a cheap, plastic stereoscopic viewer. Or instead, blur your vision (or cross eyes) until the two images converge into one--Magic Eye style. Recommended viewing on mobile devices.


Thierry Dorval received a B.S. degree in theoretical physic and graduated in image processing and artificial intelligence at the Pierre & Marie Curie University, Paris, France. He received a Ph.D. image analysis, indexing and retrieval and then joined the institut Pasteur Korea in 2005 first as researcher in biological image analysis then as a group leader specialized in High Content Screening applied to cellular differentiation as well as toxicity prediction. During this period of time he setup cellular assays in order to identify compounds modulating various stages of stem cell differentiation. He also worked on 3D cell cultures generated from induced pluripotent stem cells as model for teratogenicity and for toxicity prediction in general.
In 2012 he joined AstraZeneca, UK, where he was leading the Image and Data Analytics team. His activities were about developing and advising on quantitative image and data analysis solutions in support of high content phenotypic screens in addition to cellular and tissue imaging.
In 2015 he joined Servier, France, as leader of the High Content Screening group. He is currently still working on phenotypic approaches to improve drug discovery pipeline efficiency using high content strategies.


text:
Shahida speaking Rohingya
This video was recorded by Kasha Rigby in Camp 4, Rohingya Refugee Camp in Bangladesh. Rohingya, or Ruáingga, is a language of the Bengali-Assamese branch of the Eastern Indo-Aryan language family. There are approximately 1.8 million Rohingya speakers, a predominantly Muslim community from Rakhine, Myanmar (Burma). In 2013, the United Nations declared the Rohingya people to be one of the world's most persecuted minorities, as they are denied Myanma citizenship, as well as the right to public education and civil service employment, among other freedoms. Since 2016, the Myanma military launched a campaign of forced expulsions against Rohingya communities, which the United Nations, ICC, ICJ, and various human rights organizations have described as ethnic cleansing. As a result, over a million Rohingya people now reside as refugees abroad; the majority, like Shahida, are in Bangladesh, where they are denied full legal status. Since 2017, the Bangladeshi and Myanma governments have discussed facilitating the return of Rohingya refugees, but the process has stalled. The Rohingya people's language is related and often compared to Chittagonian, a language of Bangladesh, and the two are mutually intelligible. Despite initially being written in Arabic script, Rohingya now primarily uses the Hanifi Rohingya script, created by Maulana Hanif in 1983. The script was largely based on the Arabic alphabet, in addition to the Latin and Burmese alphabets, and is written from right to left. There are six vowels in the Rohingya language, and accented vowels are used to designate stress. Additionally, Rohingya utilizes 12 verb tenses: present, past, and future, which are each conjugated for the first, second, and third person.
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Hogwarts has a course in Central Texas!
The Worthwich School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is it's name, and it is hosting a magical 3-day event Oct 27th through Oct 29th. It is for anyone who is over 21, but they do also have some events for those under 21.
Parrie Haynes Ranch in Killeen is where it will be hosted. Tickets run about $400. You get to make your own wand and take it home, as well as get sorted into one of the four houses. Other classes you can take include Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms and more! Each house will have daily practice in magical sports, and inter-house tournaments.
You will also be able to earn house points by doing good things and can lose points by breaking the rules, with a house being awarded the House Cup at the end of the weekend.
If you want to purchase tickets or learn more about this event Check it out here!


Villa Neri Resort & Spa communicates to its guests that the hotel will be closed during the winter season, except for extraordinary openings on request.
The official reopening will be on the 5th April 2019.
Anyway, we are at the office from Monday to Saturday and from 9:00 to 12:30.
Along the wine street, point of balance between Etna and Ionian sea, combination of vineyards, olive trees and oaks. Routed paths by men and nature during the years.
The Twelve Fountains restaurant delivers a unique sensory experience.
The intimate and exclusive Spa offers our guests moments of self-indulgence.
Welcome cocktail. One night in a double room with buffet breakfast prepared by the chef with fresh local produce. A bottle of Prosecco on arrival and chocolates in the room.
Entrance at 21:00. Welcome with a bottle of Pink Prosecco, oysters and fresh fruit. A two-hour Spa programme (Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, emotional shower) A full-body "Relax" massage each.
Sole use of the Spa for birthday parties, graduations, hen parties or just to celebrate a special occasion.
Treat yourself to a relaxing day in Villa Neri and take advantage of our unbeatable Last Minute offers.


text:
import m from 'mithril';
import _ from 'underscore';
import h from '../h';

const adminTransactionHistory = {
    controller(args) {
        const contribution = args.contribution,
            mapEvents = _.reduce([{
                date: contribution.paid_at,
                name: 'Apoio confirmado'
            }, {
                date: contribution.pending_refund_at,
                name: 'Reembolso solicitado'
            }, {
                date: contribution.refunded_at,
                name: 'Estorno realizado'
            }, {
                date: contribution.created_at,
                name: 'Apoio criado'
            }, {
                date: contribution.refused_at,
                name: 'Apoio cancelado'
            }, {
                date: contribution.deleted_at,
                name: 'Apoio excluído'
            }, {
                date: contribution.chargeback_at,
                name: 'Chargeback'
            }], (memo, item) => {
                if (item.date !== null && item.date !== undefined) {
                    item.originalDate = item.date;
                    item.date = h.momentify(item.date, 'DD/MM/YYYY, HH:mm');
                    return memo.concat(item);
                }

                return memo;
            }, []);

        return {
            orderedEvents: _.sortBy(mapEvents, 'originalDate')
        };
    },
    view(ctrl) {
        return m('.w-col.w-col-4', [
            m('.fontweight-semibold.fontsize-smaller.lineheight-tighter.u-marginbottom-20', 'Histórico da transação'),
            ctrl.orderedEvents.map(cEvent => m('.w-row.fontsize-smallest.lineheight-looser.date-event', [
                m('.w-col.w-col-6', [
                    m('.fontcolor-secondary', cEvent.date)
                ]),
                m('.w-col.w-col-6', [
                    m('div', cEvent.name)
                ])
            ]))
        ]);
    }
};

export default adminTransactionHistory;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


LG showcases, in a new commercial, the new LG G7 ThinQ, described as "the AI powered smartphone offering the new standard of convenient life".
The spot focuses on seven key features: the Super Bright Display, which ensures enhanced outdoor visibility while saving energy under bright sunlight, the AI camera, which analyzes subjects in your frame and provides easy recommendations, allows you to choose from optimized filters, so you can get your perfect shot, the Super Bright Camera, which captures brighter moments even in the darker with automatic brightness adjustment, the Super Wide Angle Camera, which self-adjusts to subjects for wide angle environments and even allows you to capture more of every scene, the Boombox Speaker, which generates powerful bass, the Super Far Field Voice Recognition, which picks up your voice from even farther away, and finally the Google Assistant Key, for quick access to your Google Assistant.
Another feature showcased in the ad is represented by Tags, which turn gallery search into an easy action thanks to automatic tagging and album creation.
Officially unveiled today, May 2, at LG's New York City launch event, the brand's latest flagship smartphone has its release set for mid-May for Korea and June for the US and other countries.


Ono Hawaiian BBQ continues its Southern California expansion with an opening in the city of Hemet. The chain's 65th location, which opens Friday at 2461 West Florida Ave., will give guests a buy one, get one free offer for all food items during business hours.
Ono Hawaiian BBQ's core menu features Hawaiian-inspired plate lunches and island specialties like Hawaiian BBQ Chicken, Spam Musubi, Chicken Katsu and more through a fusion of Japanese, Korean, Chinese and American flavors. The interior design incorporates an inviting yet industrial chic feel inspired by Hawaii's rustic elements including reclaimed wood walls, rope lighting, aqua tiles and tropical planters, according to the release.


Sweet penny! As we, hopefully, all know by now, Microsoft will be ending support for Windows 7 next year. One of the world's most popular OS will reach end of support less than a year from now.
January 14, 2020, to be exact.
Microsoft is currently engaged in a drive to move users away from this old platform and onto newer, supported versions of the operating system. Windows 10, preferably. Obviously, not everyone is able to make the jump right away — particularly enterprise users.
To that end, the company announced back in September that businesses will be able to pay for what it calls Extended Security Updates (ESUs), until they are ready to upgrade to Windows 10. These will be available for three years, in order to keep these systems safe from vulnerabilities and security issues.
This isn't exactly new, as Microsoft has long offered ESUs to customers that are willing to pay for them. What we did not know was how much will these special patches cost.
Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet reports that the company has been briefing its partners and salespeople about its plans for Windows 7 ESUs recently.
And apparently, the cost for Windows 7 Pro users is $50 per device for the first year, doubling for each of the next two years. Meaning, these users will pay $200 for the third year. Windows Enterprise volume licensing or Microsoft 365 customers will pay half of that, though.
As you can imagine, this can quickly add up to a lot for users and companies that have their machines on Windows 7 still, and aren't ready to upgrade for one reason or another.
Even if a customer opts into this a year down the line, they will still have to pay for the first year.
Unfortunately, this is not for consumers. You can't go and pay Microsoft $50 for an additional year of support. This deal is only for educational and enterprise customers, understandably.
No official confirmation from Microsoft on this, either. But keeping in mind that this comes from one of the most reliable of sources around, it sure looks to be the plan.
Speaking of plans, luckily, you still have about a whole year to plan your upgrade to a newer, supported version of Windows. These prices aren't for everybody, even if you are a small setup and want to keep running the old operating system on your business devices for a few years yet.
It's clear that Redmond would rather have you move to Windows 10.
And the hundreds of millions alongside.


text:
Q: Visual Web Developer - Child page preview with Login View on Master Page I have the following problem:
I run Visual Web Developer 2008. I have one Master Page and few child pages. On the Master Page I have Login View control, as below:
    <asp:LoginView ID="LoginView1" runat="server">

         <LoggedInTemplate>
             <asp:ContentPlaceHolder ID="ContentPlaceHolder1" runat="server">
            </asp:ContentPlaceHolder>
        </LoggedInTemplate>

        <AnonymousTemplate>
            <asp:Login ID="Login1" runat="server" BackColor="White" Font-Size="Small">
            </asp:Login>
        </AnonymousTemplate>

    </asp:LoginView>

When I work on one of child pages and I switch to Design view I see only Master Page with the Login Box (only AnonymousTemplate). I cannot change the mode of Login View to "LoggedInTemplate" because all Master Page elements are disabled in child page Design mode. Bug or feature? How can I preview Design for my child page?

A: Unfortunately, this appears to be by design.  If you must use the Design view, you will have to temporarily move the ContentPlaceHolder outside of the LoginView.
In all honesty though, I have never trusted the Design view - it never shows the page exactly like it appears in a given browser (even Internet Explorer).  I prefer using "View in Browser" to see what my page looks like.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL
The City of Malibu is a general law city and operates under the council-manager form of government. The five-member City Council is elected at-large to serve four-year terms. The Mayor's office is rotated annually among all councilmembers.
The City Council is the legislative authority of the City and sets the policies under which the City operates. Duties of the City Council include:
Enacting legislation, such as local laws and ordinances
Approving City programs
Adopting the City's budget
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Wimbledon 2016: Andy Murray beats Milos Raonic to win third Grand Slam title
Britain's Andy Murray Clinched A Second Wimbledon Title And Third Grand Slam Crown Sunday When He Downed Misfiring Milos Raonic Of Canada 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/2). The 29-year-old World Number Two Added The 2016 Trophy To His 2013 Triumph At The All England Club And His 2012 US Open Breakthrough.
PTI | Updated on: 10 Jul 2016, 10:07:00 PM
Britain's Andy Murray clinched a second Wimbledon title and third Grand Slam crown Sunday when he downed misfiring Milos Raonic of Canada 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/2). The 29-year-old world number two added the 2016 trophy to his 2013 triumph at the All England Club and his 2012 US Open breakthrough.
Appearing in his 11th final at the majors, but his first against an opponent other than Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, the Scot put on a Centre Court masterclass.
Murray buried his head in his towel and wept in the moments after victory.
"It's the most important tournament for me every year. I've had some great moments and tough losses. I played some really good stuff today," Murray said.
"The wins feel extra special because of the tough losses. I'm proud to have my hands on the trophy again."
Murray faced just two break points in the two hour 48 minute encounter while 25-year-old Raonic, who had clobbered 137 aces going into the final, managed just eight on Sunday.
"It's a difficult challenge. Andy has been playing great and he deserved to win, congratulations to him," Raonic said.
"This one is going to sting. I'm going to make sure I do everything I can to be back here for another chance."
Victory for Murray helped make up for the disappointment of losing the Australian and French Open finals to Djokovic this year.
It also illustrated the master-stroke he pulled off in tempting Ivan Lendl back into his coaching corner.
Raonic was attempting to become the first Canadian to win a Slam title but he was thwarted by Murray's tough-as-teak defence and inspired return game.
In the final analysis, his 29 unforced errors compared to Murray's miserly 12 proved fatal in a match where serve was broken just once.
Victory preserved the iron-grip on the majors of the sport's 'Big Four' with Lleyton Hewitt the last man outside of Murray, Djokovic, Federer and Rafael Nadal to win Wimbledon back in 2002.
Rush of blood - Fittingly for such an occasion, the Centre Court Royal Box was packed with sporting and celebrity star power.
Prince William and wife Kate were joined by former champions Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg as well as Hollywood actors Bradley Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch and Hugh Grant.
Murray had won all four of the pair's meetings in 2016, including the Australian Open semi-finals and in the final at Queen's Club.
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First Published : 10 Jul 2016, 10:05:00 PM
Andy Murray Wimbledon 2016


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Prošíváno on the frame of the technique of free quilting (machine lead only my hands - no machine or pantograph). Is stitched on the frame of the professional quiltovacím machine, so the stitches are regular and strong - this is guaranteed high quality and durability of the blankets.


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Two new JIPs to provide independent benchmarking of multiphase, wet gas and water cut meters
Two new Joint Industry Project (JIPs) have been launched to establish the true performance of three key types of metering technology. One of the JIPs will cover multiphase and wet gas flow meters, the other will assess water cut meters. The projects aim to help reduce financial exposure in production monitoring, fiscal reporting and allocation measurement.
"Talking to industry representatives at the recent North Sea Flow Measurement Workshop in Aberdeen, it was clear that these research projects will meet a real industry need," says Principal Consultant, Dr. Bruno Pinguet. "People said to me, finally JIPs where we can get real answers about performance."
The JIPs have been set up because the pace of technological advancement in flow metering technology, largely driven by the rapid shift to subsea production, has outstripped the capabilities of test houses around the world. This, in turn, has led to multiphase, wet gas and water cut meters being used outside their qualified operating envelopes. It has also led to unsubstantiated meter manufacturer claims and to a lack of confidence in meter performance.
The physical testing for both JIPs will take place at NEL's Advanced Multiphase Facility. The facility, the first of its kind in the world, will allow testing at wide-ranging flow rates under high operating pressures and temperatures. It will also allow testing in flow regimes that fall between wet gas and multiphase flows. Most importantly, it will allow the evaluation of meters at the conditions in which they are used in the field.
The project team is now looking for participants for both JIPs from leading oil and gas companies to take part in the research.
The two research projects are vital because all the types of meter under test are used extensively in the oil and gas sector. By removing the need for costly separation equipment and flow lines, multiphase flow meters have made it possible to recover hydrocarbons from fields previously considered unviable for development. Water cut meters are used to measure the water content (cut) of recovered hydrocarbons. They are considered an enabler to subsea production by allowing optimisation at the wellhead and playing a major role in managing flow assurance issues.
Both JIPs will take place in 2019, with Phase 1 results scheduled to be released in October.


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Why the proposed Artificial Intelligence Regulation does not deliver on the promise to protect individuals from harm
23 July 2021/ By Tetyana Krupiy
In April 2021 the European Commission circulated a draft proposal called 'Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Laying Down Harmonised Rules on Artificial Intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act) and Amending Certain Union Legislative Acts' (hereinafter AI Regulation). The purpose of the proposed AI Regulation is to harmonise the rules governing artificial intelligence technology (hereinafter AI) in the European Union (hereinafter EU) in a manner that addresses ethical and human rights concerns (p. 1, para. 1.1). This blog post argues that the proposed AI Regulation does not sufficiently protect individuals from harms arising from the use of AI technology. One of the reasons for this is that policy makers did not engage with the limitations in international human rights treaties and the EU Charter regarding the protection of fundamental rights in the digital context. If policy makers want to achieve their objective to develop 'an ecosystem of trust' by adopting a legal framework on 'trustworthy' AI (p. 1, para. 1.1), then they need to amend the draft AI Regulation. Individuals will find it hard to place trust in the use of AI technology if the Regulation does not sufficiently safeguard their interests and fundamental rights. This contribution will use the prohibition of discrimination to illustrate these concerns. First, it will be shown that international human rights law inadequately protects human diversity. By overlooking this issue policy makers failed to detect that the representation of individuals in AI mathematical models distorts their identities and undermines the protection of human diversity. Second, it will be demonstrated that the definition of discrimination by reference to adverse treatment of individuals on the basis of innate characteristics leads to insufficient protection of individuals in the digital context.
The draft AI Regulation arguably does not deliver on its promise 'to ensure a high level of protection' for fundamental rights (p. 11, para. 3.5), even if it is designed to be consistent with the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights (hereinafter EU Charter) and existing EU legislation (p. 4, para. 1.2). Admittedly, the draft AI Regulation states that 'the proposal complements existing Union law on non-discrimination with specific requirements that aim to minimise the risk of algorithmic discrimination, in particular in relation to the design and the quality of data sets used for the development of AI systems complemented with obligations for testing, risk management, documentation and human oversight throughout the AI systems' lifecycle' (p. 4, para. 1.2). But the drafters do not engage with the current widely shared concern among scholars that the prohibition of discrimination as it is formulated in international human rights treaties and domestic law prior to the development of AI does not sufficiently protect individuals against all relevant harms. The experts serving on the Council of Europe Ad hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence brought the insufficiency of existing fundamental rights guarantees up in a report released in 2020 (p. 21-22, para. 82). The concerns about the gaps in the legal protection in international and domestic human rights provisions are also relevant for the EU Charter as it is modelled on the European Convention on Human Rights and other international human rights treaties. All EU Member States are party to the United Nations human rights treaties which contain provisions on the prohibition of discrimination including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (p. 6-7 European Parliament), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (hereinafter CEDAW), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. (p. 24 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and Council of Europe).
Problem 1: insufficient protection of human diversity
There is longstanding awareness among human rights scholars and practitioners about the limitations of international human rights law. Oddný Mjöll Arnardóttir explains that in the international human rights law context 'the development of the principle of equality has occurred in three phases or eras' (p. 41). Each development responded to a shortcoming in the 'traditional construction of equality' (p. 47-48). Here I will discuss one example of an ongoing critique that the operation of international human rights law results in representational harm. Ekaterina Krivenko criticizes international human rights law for defining sex and gender by reference to a binary category of man/woman (p. 140). To illustrate, the CEDAW Committee defines the term sex as referring to the biological difference between men and women (p. 2, para. 5). It defines gender as referring to the characteristics which society ascribes to such biological differences (p. 2, para. 5). We can see this additionally in Article 21 of the EU Charter which prohibits 'any discrimination on any ground such as sex.' This critique is relevant for the AI Regulation because the Regulation is designed to be consistent with the EU Charter. The concern stems from the fact that according to medical science it is impossible to define with scientific certainty the line which separates the categories of male and female (p. 140). Thus, it is artificial to separate people into men and women (p. 140). The treaties fail to recognise that individuals can perceive their gender identity in complex ways which is not linked to how they are embodied in their physical bodies (p. 142). Consequently, the treaties function in a manner that excludes individuals whose experiences of gender and sexual diversity do not fit onto the binary definition (p. 143). An example of such individuals are people with transgender and intersex identities (p. 143). Krivenko also criticizes the United Nations Committee which interprets the CEDAW for referring to intersex individuals as women. (p. 76) To address the inadequacy of the binary theories of gender Surya Monro developed a 'gender pluralist theory' (p. 19). Her theory argues that sex and gender are on a spectrum (p. 19). This means that there are spaces for identities which are fluid, shifting and which elide categorisation (p. 19). Similarly, the use of the term sex can lead to paradoxical outcomes when describing how multigender individuals experience their identities. There is no single way of experiencing a multigender identity. To illustrate, some multigender individuals experience their identities as both female and male while others view themselves as not having a gender at all. A literal interpretation of the term sex can result in individuals who regard themselves as having no gender identity being defined as either a male or a female. Thus, when the term sex is defined as referring to the biological difference between men and women, multigender individuals become classified in a manner which does not correspond to how they experience their embodiment. In order to reflect human diversity international human rights law should define sex and gender as being fluid.
Had EU policy makers taken this shortcoming into account when drafting the AI Regulation, they would have realised that it is impossible to represent individuals in a mathematical model in a manner which corresponds to how individuals define their identities. Currently, Article 1(b) of the draft AI Regulation merely lays down 'specific requirements for high-risk AI systems and obligations for operators of such systems' (p. 38) instead of banning such systems. Indeed, when developers programme AI systems, they represent information using mathematical equations or vectors (p. 312). For instance, a mathematical equation defines each object or category. One needs distinct mathematical equations to define each gender identity for example. The use of vectors to express definitions of gender in AI mathematical models perpetuates the use of binary gender definitions and variations in such definitions. This stems from the fact that the AI system uses distance in the mathematical space between two vectors as a means to measure how different two categories or objects are (p. 1). The process of labelling various gender identities and expressing them as mathematical equations is incompatible with recognising that individuals have plural gender identities. This approach reproduces the practice of creating human difference through using categories and a system of classification (p. 1). To give effect to the aforementioned gender pluralist theory, one would need to represent gender as infinity in mathematical space. Yet, the representation of gender as infinity cannot be meaningfully implemented in the context of the AI systems. A related concern is that the representation of individuals using mathematical models necessarily changes their identities. Russ White argues that AI systems 'flatten' individuals because they do not treat them in their entirety. AI systems alter individual identities because the AI ascribes meaning to the data about a particular individual on the basis of data about other individuals. The AI places individuals into groups based on similarity in their data (p. 24) and uses group data to make the prediction about an applicant (p. 107).
The representation of individuals in the AI mathematical models can undermine the achievement of the goals of inclusion and of the protection of human diversity. Anja Bechmann explains that individuals whose activity does not appear 'average' can 'light up' in the AI mathematical models (p. 85). She criticizes the use of AI technology for subjecting individuals from underrepresented groups to the logics of normalisation (p. 88). The upshot is that individuals whose behaviour patterns, preferences or life experiences do not parallel that of the average individual as constructed through the AI system will not have access to certain opportunities. To illustrate, imagine that one defines the possession of communication skills as the ability to establish a large professional network through attending professional events. According to Psychology Today introvert individuals lose energy in social gatherings and may experience a crowded cocktail party as torture. There is a spectrum regarding the degree to which individuals are introvert. The use of the definition of a good employee in the present example can result in individuals who have a high degree of introversion appearing in the mathematical model as lacking communication skills and as deviating from the average. The highly introvert candidate experiences harm when the use of AI by the employer nudges that individual to adopt patterns of interaction which more closely resemble the average. Furthermore, the individual experiences harm when depicted as deviating from the average.
There is a concern that the employment of AI will make it more difficult to challenge the status quo and oppressive societal practices. Sara Ahmadi pointed out to me in a private conversation that AI systems often entrench existing definitions and categories pertaining to our lived reality. The problem of a distortion of individual identities through representation in AI mathematical models cannot be remedied by removing certain personal identity attributes from the model. Anya Prins and Daniel Schwarcz explain that an AI system seeks out all information which it can employ to make a prediction (p. 7-8). It can use information which appears neutral but which is in fact linked to the characteristic which the programmer does not want the AI to utilise (p. 8). For instance, the input zip code may indicate an applicant's race (p. 206). This creates a risk that discrimination remains hidden (p. 4). To address this concern policy makers can prohibit the use of AI through the AI Regulation in contexts where it is necessary to represent the individual's identity in the mathematical model to enable the system to perform its function. They can amend the AI Regulation to prohibit the use of AI in education, vocational training, employment, law enforcement, biometric identification, banking services, migration and administration of justice contexts. Currently, Annex III to the AI Regulation treats these uses of AI as high-risk. Moreover, it is desirable to introduce a provision in the EU Charter protecting human diversity.
Problem 2: overly narrow scope of protection
International human rights treaties and the EU Charter confer limited protection in the context of the employment of AI because they prohibit adverse treatment based on the possession of an innate or inherited characteristic which it is difficult to change. But individuals may also receive a negative assessment by AI due to having a particular subjective preference rather than due to an innate characteristic, as Sandra Wachter explains (p. 56). This could be ownership of a dog or the fact of being a video gamer (p. 56). There is little difference between excluding individuals on the basis of their innate characteristics and their preferences. The individuals' preferences are intimately linked to their identities and to their ability to pursue their vision of a good life. Wachter believes that this gap in protection can be remedied through legal interpretation (p. 66). One would need to extend the prohibition of discrimination against individuals who have an association or affinity with a protected group in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights as applying to the case at hand (p. 66-68). For instance, if an applicant visits jazz websites and if certain ethnic groups are more likely to listen to jazz music then it is unlawful to issue a negative decision to the applicant on the basis of music preferences (p. 40). Wachter's solution does, however, not address all harms. It may be impossible to detect in the context of the use of AI an association between a negative decision and a particular preference or conduct. I argue that there may be degrees of correlation between the decision outcome and the possession of a particular trait, preference or pattern of conduct (p. 13). This stems from the fact that the AI will use thousands of inputs which relate to the preferences and conduct of the individual as a basis for the decision.
Moreover, it should be noted that the EU Charter, the EU Directives prohibiting discrimination and the AI Regulation do not regulate harms which arise at societal level. They only address some harms which manifest themselves at the level of the individual and a group. This stems from the fact that these instruments make the individual the focus of the protection. To illustrate, Article 2(1) of the EU Racial Equality Directive defines prohibited conduct in terms of direct and indirect discrimination. Article 2(2)(a) defines direct discrimination as 'where one person is treated less favourably than another is, has been or would be treated in a comparable situation on grounds of racial or ethnic origin.' According to Article 2(2)(b), indirect discrimination is the use of 'an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice [which] would put persons of a racial or ethnic origin at a particular disadvantage compared with other persons, unless that provision, criterion or practice is objectively justified by a legitimate aim and the means of achieving that aim are appropriate and necessary.'
Because the two tests for the prohibition of discrimination in the EU Racial Equality Directive require that one evaluate what impact a practice has either on an individual with a protected characteristic or the protected group as a whole, they oblige the analyst to examine the relationship between the design of an AI system and the decision outcome(s). The principle of indirect discrimination can be used to examine the effects which the use of AI produces on societal level to a limited extent because it requires a relationship between a detrimental outcome for the group and the practice. This explains why the provisions in the draft AI Regulation focus on the AI system and its design. For instance, Articles 61(1) and 61(2) require the provider to set up a post-market monitoring system which collects data on the performance of the high-risk AI system and evaluates its continuing compliance with the draft Regulation (p. 75). Article 65(2) obliges a market surveillance authority to evaluate whether the AI system complies with the draft Regulation (p. 77). In case of non-compliance, this authority can order the 'operator' to either withdraw the system from the market or to make the system compliant under Article 65(2) (p. 77).
It is problematic that the AI Regulation focuses on the AI system in the abstract. Computer scientist Moshe Vardi argues that the harmful impacts of AI technology cannot be detected by focusing on the system as such. There is a need to consider how the technology operates in society. The deployment of AI technology produces effects on societal level. Florian Eyert, Florian Irgmaier and Lena Ulbricht maintain that the automation of decision-making processes using AI will result in a new social order (p. 48). My research findings are that the use of AI to represent human identities can trigger psychological processes in the mind of the developer and the user that are similar to those involved in individuals subjecting others to unjust treatment. Moreover, the use of AI can change how individuals form their identities to their detriment. The shortcoming of the definitions of direct and indirect discrimination is that they concentrate on a distinct moment in time when the adverse treatment takes place. Consequently, they ignore the fact that the use of AI can influence internal psychological processes and produce big changes over time. It is, however, beyond the scope of this blog contribution to consider all effects that the employment of AI can produce on societal level.
In order to address the above concerns, EU policy makers can adopt the following steps:
1) They can investigate what effects the use of AI has on individuals in light of the fact that it is embedded in social processes.
2) They can produce an inventory of findings regarding what types of effects the use of AI technology produces on the societal level. They should pay particular attention to the impact on individuals who experience disadvantage, exclusion and social barriers.
3) They can produce a study of how the way in which fundamental rights are formulated in international human rights treaties, the EU Charter and EU legislation results in limited protection of individuals in the digital context.
4) They can propose an amendment to the EU Charter to introduce more generous protections of rights in light of the digital context.
5) They can use a wider definition of harm which extends beyond the protection of fundamental rights as a basis for defining the scope of the AI Regulation.
6) They need to revise the draft AI Regulation to addresses gaps in protection arising from the use of the EU Charter and the EU law as a benchmark.
7) They need to regulate all uses of AI that can affect the enjoyment of fundamental rights instead of confining regulation to high-risk systems.
8) The use of AI in certain contexts should be prohibited.
Artificial intelligence / Fundamental rights
About Tetyana Krupiy
Tetyana (Tanya) Krupiy is a postdoctoral fellow at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. Prior to this, she received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada in order to undertake a postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University. Tanya has expertise in international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law. Tanya is particularly interested in examining complex legal problems which arise in the context of technological innovation.
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