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How Hisham Kharma's Website Aims to Solve Egypt's Blood Shortage Issue
Upload Photos of Street Rubbish to This New Egyptian App and it Will Get Cleaned Up
Inside the Egyptian Beauty Pageant Industry
3andak Dam?
Heba Radi VIEW ALL ARTICLES BY Heba Radi
How many times did you come across someone desperate for a blood donation? How many times did you have to deal with corruption and bureaucracy in the health care system in order to find the donor you need?
It's a story we're all too familiar with. We lack the mechanisms to provide enough blood for donation. To answer this predicament, Hisham Kharma came up with a website that would make the process quicker and more accessible.
Law 3andak Dam is a service made to run through the veins and arteries of our internet-age and is sort of a social network centered around blood donation. It's a fast and simple way to connect donors to recipients. When we asked Kharma about the moment he decided to bring his idea to life, he told us the story of his uncle, who was transferred to the hospital one time and severely needed blood. "It was the first time I see the scale of corruption inside some hospitals for myself, and I came about a quasi-mafia running blood trafficking rackets [inside the hospitals]. Although the situation was thankfully resolved, it was picking at my brain," he described.
The idea festered in Kharma's brain around the revolution; specifically, the events of Mohamed Mahmoud. Civilian hospitals constantly needed blood for the injured. He realized then that he wanted to do something meaningful to contribute to society: an unconventional solution to an otherwise simple problem. "I would tell myself that the need for blood and the varying attempts at making it accessible is a timely topic, and everyone was looking for an answer." Kharma had gotten a degree in computer science, which he decided to put to good use.
The initiative began on social media, but was viral, and grew in capacity. It needed to expand, and from there came the website, which also gave him the potential to collect the data he needed to optimize it. "The day following its launch, the president of the Egyptian Blood Bank called me for a collaboration on campaigns. This year is our fourth working with the Bank. We complete each other as a young website with accessibility and reach and an established institution with required resources and staffing, like doctors and transportation."
It didn't stop at the government. Collaborators from all walks of life came in contact with Law 3andak Dam. A close example was their participation in a Triathlon organized by The TriFactory to encourage blood donation. Occasionally, the team is driven to collaborate with another entity. Bey2ollak, a social app that was made to help people share traffic updates around Cairo participated by helping donors find the fastest routes to their recipients. "We would always find unconventional ways to streamline the process," Kharma explained.
In a statement by Dr. Nehad Mosaad, manager of the national blood-transfusion service-centers of the Ministry of Health for Al Masry Al Youm, she said that only 1% of Egyptian donate blood, and that providing enough blood for those who need it would take 2-3% donating regularly. Increasing that would require tripling the current rates, which would require nationwide awareness.
How are donors and recipients connected?
Donors sign up to the website by filling a form which requires their blood type and adds it to a database. The data is then automatically placed on the "donor list" in which you could find each donor's contact information and blood-type. Recipients have two ways to connect with those donors: either by filling a form online or sending a message to the Facebook page. The request is then quickly processed and spread through all platforms. The other way is directly through the website, where they could access the database, acquire a contact and get in touch with them.
Law 3andak Dam is an online service that takes the shape of a humanitarian initiative during campaigns, but it lacks customer service or follow-ups with the cases because that is not the purpose of the initiative. "We cannot instantly follow-up with each case, but we have discovered that we have saved a lot of people in heavy situations. One of the pleasures of doing this is the gratitude I get from people. 'You saved my father, my grandmother or someone really dear to me.' I feel a human connection free of exploitation with people, and I believe Law 3andak dam is the one thing that truly gave my life meaning."
Kharma is a fellow of Ashok, an international institution founded in 1980 to support creatives and social workers for their leading role in benefiting their societies. He told us he's asked a lot about the number of cases he solved, but he never has an answer to that question. "I've been asked a lot to make reports of the numbers and a headcount of the cases we help, but on services like Law 3andak dam, exclusively accessed during times of emergency, recipients would rarely think of actually signing up or creating accounts. This is the only way to keep book, and it doesn't work for us. My priority is an efficient user experience: making sending requests and sign-ups as fast and easy as possible."
Anyone building an initiative or starting up a startup is faced with competitors and enemies, which happened with Kharma at the beginning. He received a message from a group of students who accused him of stealing their idea, and the same happened with another big institution. At the time, he called them to collaborate, rather than compete. "This is a service aiming to save lives, so even if 600 initiatives are pursuing the same goal, the purpose is that goal. I wasn't starting a restaurant!"
The website's name was also criticized a lot because it 'disrupted public taste,' but he held on to it.
Kharma was faced with many accusations and hits at his goals and intentions. He would often be accused of selling the blood as well. The way the website is put together does not even involve the staff behind it. It directly connects donors to recipients without any intervention from Kharma or his people.
There's a small team behind Law 3andak Dam: a copywriter and a community manager, as well as a team of people managing the website and the Facebook page, and they're always ready to receive people in need and connecting them as fast as possible. The team makes no money from the service, and all that matters to them is helping the biggest number of people get the donations they need. In the future, they plan on finding more efficient ways to connect people together, as well as establish secure relationships between local blood-banks all over Egypt, by creating a network specifically tailored for them.
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Days of our Lives' Kassie DePaiva opens up about playing one of the most love-to-hate characters in daytime.
Whether you love her or hate her, it's pretty tough not to want to slap Days of our Lives' Eve. From trying to get her hands on money headed for charity to sleeping with her daughter's boyfriend, she's proven that she's one of the best bitches in daytime. And lucky for viewers, her portrayer, Kassie DePaiva, tells Soap Central that things are going to get a whole lot better -- or worse, depending on how one looks at it.
When DAYS writes a character, they write it to the hilt. So when a newly returned Eve was revealed to be just as catty as she was back in the 80s and 90s, fans knew it was only a matter of time before things got really out of control. And though at the moment it looks like there's no possible way that Eve could outdo herself and the trouble she's caused in the past six months, DePaiva teases that fans haven't seen anything yet. "Nobody likes her," the actress points out with a laugh. "Nobody likes Eve. She's gone down the worst road possible, and I think that she'll continue down that road, because she's already there."
Meaning that yes, for those wondering, there is a definite possibility that Eve will find herself back in bed with J.J. -- the son of her longtime enemy, Jennifer (Melissa Reeves) and the boyfriend of her daughter, Paige (True O'Brien). "As a woman playing a part as broken as Eve, I think about why she would sleep with J.J. -- besides all of the obvious: he's cute, he's young, whatever," DePaiva muses. "And what's most interesting, I think, and what I've chosen to play, is that he's the one thing that is like a touchstone for her. She feels something [with him]. She's looking for love in all the wrong places, obviously. But with this, she felt that physical connection which she equates to passion and feeling alive, to a certain extent."
And, as the actress points out, it's possible that J.J. reminds Eve of his father, Jack (Matthew Ashford) -- to whom she was once married. "I think she assimilates her relationship to J.J. to a certain point as him being Jack in the flesh," she says. "Eve understood Jack and his bad-boyness, and she sees that in J.J. [Plus], she and J.J. are very much alike. They're both very impulsive, they're both passionate about music, they both love Paige, and they both felt betrayed and devastated the day that they got together. So it was a mutual pity party that ended up being a bad choice roll in the hay."
Having worked so closely with Moss for the past couple of months, DePaiva has gotten to know him on quite a deep level. And though there is an age difference between the two, it's not something that's often crossing her mind. "Casey is an unbelievably intuitive, talented young man that has the world by the tail right now," she raves of her costar. "I don't feel like I'm working with a child; I feel like I'm working with a co-actor. Although the story, for me, I know what I'm cast as. I'm cast as an older woman with the young boy, like The Graduate. That's what I know that I'm playing... and it's no big deal. It's very, very specific, and I didn't know that's what it was going to be, but now that I do know, you just kind of go, 'Okay, those are the parameters,' and you make it work. And I've enjoyed finding the colors of the relationship and playing the arc of the story with Casey, and I think there's a lot of great story that's going to fall into place because of that one bad night."
In fact, DePaiva reveals that though it was just one night -- for now, anyway -- the fun between Eve and J.J. really is just getting started. "This is not a one-note pony," she teases. "I thought it was going to be, but no. It will be a really wonderful story that will build over time, and I think that the viewers will enjoy the ride. I mean, it'll be bumpy! But it's worth it. It's like, 'Oh no -- is it going to happen? Is it going to happen again? I don't know!' You'll see. It's good stuff. Good soap opera."
Speaking of juicy drama, fans have been speculating that when (or rather if) Eve washes her hands of J.J., Daniel (Shawn Christian) might be next on her radar -- especially since the writers formally introduced Eve to Nicole (Arianne Zucker) this month. But DePaiva isn't so sure that an Eve/Daniel pairing is in the cards. "You can speculate all you want, but I can tell you this much: women and men won't touch Eve with a ten-foot pole," the actress jokes. "She's just not very well liked in town. She has a reputation, and for whatever reason, people in Salem don't forget people's pasts. Eve was a bad girl back then, and she's certainly Hurricane Eve now. She kind of destroys everything in her way."
That being said, everyone knows that Daniel loves a bad girl -- and he's particularly attracted to women he feels he can doctor up. "A staple gun is not going to fix Eve, so we'll see," the actress teases. "But I would love that. We've got so many talented actors in my pseudo age range that would be fun to play off of, even if it's not romantically. But you know, I certainly enjoy Shawn Christian a great deal, and a triangle with Nicole would be great fun."
Meanwhile, another story she'd love to delve into would be the reveal of Paige's father. "That would be pretty key, because she's obviously devastated and loved this man very much," she explains. "He walked out on her -- or that's the story, that she was devastated. But she probably did something that ran him off. Knowing my character, she's probably in denial about something and that's what really happened, she did something bad. But she doesn't remember that. She has selective memory. But that would be interesting to me."
One person that DePaiva doesn't think will pop up in Eve's life, however, is her father, Shane (Charles Shaughnessy). "I think [Charles is] only four years older than me in real life, so I don't know that they'll put our faces together, because we might look like brother and sister rather than father and daughter," she speculates with a laugh. "But who knows. I would love it. I think the more family that characters have, the more the richness of history. It just makes the character more interesting. So the more family, the better."
Of course, DePaiva can't say family without many of her fans thinking of her One Life to Live family. And it's something the DAYS writers thought of, too -- when Melissa Archer (ex-Natalie Buchanan) made her debut as Serena. "We had a little blip where she said something like, 'Yeah, you remind me of someone I used to know in another life, and she was a bitch, too,'" the actress recalls of the throwback reference to her former character, Blair. "You can't miss that opportunity, you know?"
Whether or not Eve and Serena's paths will cross often remains to be seen, but if the two eventually end up in each other's orbit, then DePaiva is sure her alter ego will dish out the diva -- because she just can't help herself. "If I get an opportunity to have fun and laugh in a scene, I really enjoy that, because most of the time, she's railing on somebody," the actress says, adding that though she loves playing the character, portraying Eve can be quite tiring. "You know when you go through a day and you might be PMSing and you're in a bad mood, you know how exhausting it is just to remain in a bad mood all day long? That's kind of what Eve is," she explains. "But it's a job, and somebody has got to do it, and they obviously think I can be a bitch, and they're paying me to do it, so I can do it!"
"Though, with a character like Eve, I don't know what the longevity is, and I don't know how long they had planned on writing me," she continues. "I signed a contract, and I'm there as long as they want me, and our writers were just nominated for a [Writer Guild of America] award, so we've got great writers on Days of our Lives. They are writing me to the hilt, and I could not be happier."
What is your take on Eve -- do you love to hate her or hate to love her? What would you like to see happen with Eve's storyline? Let us know in the Comments area below, or you can also click here to submit feedback.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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BRAF
Interpretation 2276
BRAF V600D
BRAF V600K
BRAF V600R
BRAF codon(s) 600 any
B-RAF is a member of the RAF-family of kinases which plays an important role in the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK mitotic signaling pathway. Mutations of B-RAF have been described in up to 100% of Hairy cell leukemia, 40-70% of Langerhans cell histiocytosis, approximately 50% of Erdheim-Chester disease, approximately 5% of diffuse large B cell lymphoma and plasma cell neoplasms and less than 5% of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Some types of Hairy Cell Leukemia (eg, Hairy Cell Leukemia-Variant, Hairy Cell Leukemia with IgHV4-34 rearrangement) are negative for BRAF V600E mutation and may have MAP2K1 mutations. While some reports have found that 10-20% of cases of acute leukemias (ALL or AML) may have BRAF mutations, other reports have described no BRAF in those diseases or in myeloid diseases such as MDS or CML. The hotspot for mutations in BRAF is at codon Val600 and these are activating mutations. The most common activating mutation is p.Val600Glu(V600E). B-Raf inhibitors(eg, Vemurafenib) have been FDA approved for therapy for various tumor types and have been used in Hairy Cell Leukemia in some clinical settings, including in combination with other therapy.
Machnicki MM, et al. BRAF--a new player in hematological neoplasms. Blood Cells Mol Dis 2014;53(1-2):77-83
Alonso CM, et al. BRAF V600E mutation in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 2013;54(5):1105-6
Langabeer SE, et al. Incidence of the BRAF V600E mutation in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and prolymphocytic leukaemia. Leuk Res 2012;36(4):483-4
Jebaraj BM, et al. BRAF mutations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 2013;54(6):1177-82
Ping N, et al. Absence of BRAF V600E mutation in hematologic malignancies excluding hairy-cell leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 2012;53(12):2498-9
Samuel J, et al. Efficacy of vemurafenib in hairy-cell leukemia. N Engl J Med 2014;370(3):286-8
Falini B, et al. BRAF V600E mutation in hairy cell leukemia: from bench to bedside. Blood 2016;128(15):1918-1927
National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Hairy Cell Leukemia. Version 2.2018.
Tiacci E, et al. Targeting Mutant BRAF in Relapsed or Refractory Hairy-Cell Leukemia. N Engl J Med 2015;373(18):1733-47
Dietrich S, et al. BRAF inhibition in hairy cell leukemia with low-dose vemurafenib. Blood 2016;127(23):2847-55


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If Paul Ryan Really Meant What He Just Said, the Abortion Debate Is Over
Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/Newscom via ZUMA
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On Wednesday morning, after Democrat Conor Lamb declared victory in the special election election for Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) offered up the best postgame spin he could muster. While the race hasn't officially been called for Lamb yet, Ryan conceded that Lamb probably won, but said he considered Lamb aligned with Republican ideas. "I think the candidate that's going to win this race is the candidate that ran as a pro-life, pro-gun, anti-Nancy Pelosi conservative—that's the candidate that's going to win this race," he told reporters. Ryan reiterated that point again later on in the press conference.
It's an interesting argument, because the Ryan-backed super-PAC Congressional Leadership Fund spent millions of dollars on ads depicting the Lamb as "one of Nancy Pelosi's sheep." CLF also sent out fliers warning that Lamb was a "liberal Democrat" who "wants to impose restrictions on gun ownership and the Second Amendment." If you can't trust the official super-PAC of the House Republican leadership to fairly lay out the facts, who can you trust?
Lamb, who ran as a pro-union, pro-Obamacare Democrat who opposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare, has in fact said he wouldn't support Pelosi for speaker of the House (he'll have to win another race in November to get to that point), and said he opposed new gun laws in the wake of the February shooting in Parkland, Florida. But it's Ryan's "pro-life" spin that's most interesting.
Like a number of Catholic Democrats, including Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and former Vice President Joe Biden, Lamb has said that he is personally opposed to abortion but supportive of a woman's right to choose, and doesn't think the government should pass laws restricting access to abortion. During the campaign, Lamb said he would have voted against a federal ban on abortions after 20 weeks. Although these sorts of Democrats are not without their critics, pro-choice activists generally care more about those politicians' voting records than they do their personal preferences. For that matter, so do anti-abortion activists. (Ironically, the special election was triggered by the resignation of staunchly pro-life Republican Rep. Tim Murphy, who vacated the seat after allegedly pressuring his mistress to get an abortion.) Here's the ad FRC Action, the campaign arm of the social conservative Family Research Council, put out in response to Lamb's position:
The ad compares Conor Lamb to North Korea. Does it seem like FRC Action considers Lamb "pro-life"?
Ryan's framing is an unusual one because reproductive rights are perhaps the most salient divide in American politics. Republicans have adhered to a fierce litmus test on the issue, and conservative groups have spent decades—and vast sums of money—toward a "pro-life" politics that excludes Democrats like Lamb, Biden, and Kaine. If Lamb's position is now good enough for people like Ryan, it represents a dramatic concession that has far more sweeping ramifications for politics in Washington than a special election to fill out the last 10 months of a term. It would break the dam.
Or it would, anyway, if there were any indication Ryan or social-conservative groups really believed it. When Lamb runs for re-election in November, possibly in the newly created 17th district, Ryan and the rest of the GOP will go back to describing Lamb as the gun-grabbing, Pelosi-loving, pro-choice liberal he was for the duration of the special election. Perhaps the Conservative Leadership Fund will even recycle its ads. They'll just have to pretend that Wednesday never happened.
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What is - Combination Mortgage Insurance for Manufactured Home and Lot Program?
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) covers mortgage loans created by FHA-approved creditors to purchasers of manufactured houses and the lots on which to put them.
Customers of manufactured houses who intend to utilize the house as their main residence are qualified to apply for a housing loan with an FHA-authorized creditor.


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Former Treasury Secretary Says US-China Tariff War Is Largely 'Psychological'
By Sissi Cao • 03/26/18 3:04pm
Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images
Last week, President Donald Trump signed off on a fresh list of tariffs on $60 billion of imports from China, despite strong opposition from the tech and retail industries. Hours later, China retaliated with its own tariff orders on $3 billion of U.S. imports (a response that U.S. commentators deemed "muted") with a government spokesperson declaring, "The ball is now in the U.S.' court."
As fears of a full-blown trade war between the world's two largest economies are seemingly coming to fruition, a group of leading experts on international trade attended a Chinese government-sponsored event in Beijing over the weekend to weigh in on the issue.
Lawrence Summers, a distinguished economist at Harvard University and the U.S. Treasury secretary from 1999 to 2001, said the immediate economic impact of the tariff battle on both countries may not be as destructive as people fear.
"The biggest effects [of the trade tension] by far are psychological," Professor Summers said on Saturday at the China Development Forum in Beijing.
However, the long-term impact, Summers said, will depend on how the Chinese government interprets the intention behind Trump's policies.
If the new tariff order is merely a business adjustment, which would be a naive assumption, the two countries can work it out without damaging each other's economy. However, if this is Trump's way of declaring America's dominant position in global trade, then, Summers says, "This is not okay."
After talking to many Chinese government officials during his visit, Summers concluded that the U.S. can't restrain China's rise with hostile trade policies. "China is increasingly seen as a threat rather than an opportunity," he said. The challenge is to "imagine an order where China as well as the U.S. are able to define their greatness on the world stage."
As for the prospects of the tariff battle itself, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, who also attended the Beijing event, echoed Summers' view.
"I don't think there is going to be a trade war," Schwarzman told China's state TV network CGTN. "I think the Chinese are sufficiently measured and intelligent. Of course they would respond to something, but I don't think it's in China's interest or the world's interest for this to escalate."
When asked how the White House would likely respond to China's tariff retaliation, he said, "I think logic should prevail, because we all live in the world together, and we are all looking for a productive way to do that."
Pascal Lamy, former director of the World Trade Organization, criticized Trump's tariff package, including increased tariffs on steel and aluminum announced earlier this month, as "a big hammer for a small amount of trim."
"China's steel and aluminum import to the U.S. are very small today, because they had been previously hit by anti-dumping and anti-subsidy [orders]. So this trim of trade doesn't justify [the purpose of Trumps's trade restrictions," Lamy told CGTN.
In 2015 and 2016, the U.S. Commerce Department ordered a series of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on steel imports from China, causing steel shipments from China the U.S. to drop by more than 50 percent in 2016. Currently, less than one percent of China's steel export is sold in the U.S.
Filed Under: Innovation, Politics, International Politics, Economy, Donald Trump, Lawrence Summers, Stephen Schwarzman, WTO, Pascal Lamy, China Development Forum
SEE ALSO: Forget MAGA: Trump Made America's Oldest Gun Company Go Bankrupt


Single entry fiberglass door with one full glass sidelite from contemporary collection (Avenue series) with stainless steel frame on top of glass insert - model AV12.
Single entry fiberglass door with one full glass sidelite from Thermoluxe contemporary collection with stainless steel frame on top of glass insert - model AV12. Custom build, pre-hung system with contemporary profile PVC frame adds to the beauty of our entrance doors. This door with a lifetime quality and durability that will outlast any wood or steel door product.
Energy efficient and Energy Star® certified. Non-prorated 10 years guarantee on finish and manufacturing defects. HCFC-free polyurethane foam insulation, in harmony with the environment. Pre-bored and reinforced for a lockset and deadbolt. Locking door hardware not included.


text:
Q: Detach worktree based on working directory in git I have a project that takes a few minutes to compile. Usually I do:
$ git worktree add --detach ../my-project-build HEAD
and then I have another terminal window at my-project-build to compile. When I'm done I delete the directory.
How can I create a worktree from my working directory (including uncommitted changes and untracked files)?

A: The short answer is that you can't.  The git worktree add command uses git checkout to populate the new work-tree, and git checkout can only read commits.1
What you can do instead is make an archive (tar or rar or whatever) of your current work-tree—presumably excluding the .git directory or file—and extract that archive elsewhere, perhaps even atop an added work-tree (detached if you like).  As long as your archiver preserves timestamps as well as files, you will get just what you want.  There are several archive-ish tools that just copy from one tree to another, such as rsync.

1In a technical sense, it could read specific git add-ed files via your index, but in practice that's too hard, and it doesn't cover untracked files at all.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Men's Romeo is part of Lamo's Classic Collection. This entry slipper is made with a suede upper, is lined with premium faux fur, and features Lamo's TPR outsole. The Romeo features two elastic panels for easy access in and out of these entry level slippers.


text:
Podochilus banaensis är en orkidéart som beskrevs av Paul Ormerod. Podochilus banaensis ingår i släktet Podochilus och familjen orkidéer.

Artens utbredningsområde är Vietnam. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Orkidéer
banaensis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Irish team identifies proteins with crucial role in Type 2 diabetes control
News > Irish team identifies proteins with crucial role in Type 2 diabetes control
Featured Article 26 Sep 2019
Image: © Tatiana Shepeleva/Stock.adobe.com
In a paper published to Nature Communications, scientists from Trinity College Dublin's School of Medicine have made a breakthrough with potentially major ramifications for those living with diabetes.
The team said that, for the first time, a family of proteins has been discovered that are associated with lower blood sugar levels among those with type 2 diabetes. This means that those with high levels of the protein – called IL-36 cytokines – are typically able to better control their blood sugar levels and their disease.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 is brought on by a build-up of fatty acids and inflammation leading to insulin resistance. When the body is resistant to the insulin it produces, it causes a high build-up of glucose or blood sugar.
IL-36 cytokines are members of a large family of proteins known as interleukin-1, which have emerged as key players in the development of obesity-related disease. Over time, researchers have linked the protective effects of these proteins with their ability to alter the make-up of the intestinal microbiome.
More than 854,000 adults over the age of 40 in Ireland are believed to be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a health survey published last year. The team said that there is now greater urgency in this field of research to better understand the mechanisms behind it.
Lead scientist Dr Patrick Walsh said: "This study has added to a substantial body of work which has revealed the important function of the broader interleukin-1 family as mediators of metabolic health and disease.
"Our findings have opened the door to a deeper investigation of how IL-36 cytokines impact on the development of such diseases in humans and whether this can be exploited for the better treatment of patients."
Colm Gorey
This article first appeared on www.siliconrepublic.com and can be found at:
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/proteins-crucial-role-type-2-diabetes-control
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We can't wait for all of your children to come back to school! Mrs. Harris and I LOVE making a difference in students' lives, and for this reason we are so blessed to be able to work with such committed teachers and staff who LOVE this school and the children that come here every day. We are excited to get this year started, we have been planning and preparing all summer long. We have some new things planned for your children that we know will help them achieve academically!
YOU Matter. Your child matters to us as much as they matter to you! It is as simple as that. Just like you spend time really listening to their dreams, supporting them in their struggles and celebrating their successes, we too want to get to know your child the same way. They MATTER to us! Just like you let your child fail and learn from those failures, we will do the same. We do this because we have HIGH EXPECTATIONS for your child; we believe they can do it if they put their minds to it. We also understand that YOU as a parent also matter. We know we can work as a team to ensure your child has a successful school year. When you read with your child, help them with their homework, talk to them about how to resolve a problem, TEACH them about their culture or family history and LOVE them they know they MATTER to you!
This is the message we want to instill in our students at school. As SME teachers, we believe that they are INCREDIBLE! We hope that our students feel in their hearts that we have faith in their dreams, that we believe they can do anything, no matter what, and that we will provide them with many different opportunities to be creative, to learn, to work, to fail and most of all to SUCCEED! Our goal is to make sure that we continue to help children grow into mountains and not feel like a grain of sand, every single day of school. I will reiterate again, and continue to do so, how lucky I am to work with such talented teachers who support this belief in children and who are as passionate as I am in the belief that our students are wonderful and can achieve!
As we look forward to what is ahead this year, Mrs. Harris and I are motivated by what is to come. The teachers have been working hard to creating meaningful lessons and activities for your students to do this year. We hope your children come to school this year full of wonderful questions and lots of curiosity about their worlds.
Also, I wanted to share that we were awarded our Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Grant again this year! What this means is that we will provide all children a fresh fruit or vegetable three days a week at school. We hope that this will give them more opportunities to eat healthy and be exposed to nutritious food at school.
We hope that you have been keeping your eyes open for those Back-To-School sales for uniforms. We will have the same uniform for next year (navy blue or white polo shirts, khaki shorts, pants or skirts, blue jeans), so make sure to stock up those nice new shirts that are on sale for $5.00 right now! ALL students like to feel special and have a fresh start to the year with new clothes!
On Friday, August 17th class lists will be posted outside in the front at 3:00pm. You will be able to find out your teacher's name, go inside to locate the classroom and then walk outside to find the dot you will line up at on Monday morning. PTO will be outside selling school spirit shirts and other school items. School will be open from 3:30- 5:00 PM for this event.
IMPORTANT- Please be sure to attend our Back To School Night and Kinder Orientation as we have some new procedures with dismissal and how you will be picking up your child after school every day.
Este es el mensaje que queremos inculcarles a nuestros estudiantes en la escuela. ¡Como maestros de SME, creemos que ellos pueden ser INCREÍBLES! ¡Esperamos que nuestros estudiantes sientan en sus corazones que tenemos fe en sus sueños, que creemos que ellos pueden hacer cualquier cosa en la vida, pase lo que pase, y que les proveeremos muchas oportunidades diferentes para ser creativos, aprender, trabajar, fracasar y sobre todo TENER ÉXITO! Nuestro objetivo es asegurarnos de seguir ayudando a nuestros estudiantes en convertirse en montañas y no sentirse como un grano de arena, cada día de la escuela. ¡Reiteraré otra vez, y continuare diciendo, lo afortunada que estoy de trabajar con talentosos maestros que apoyan esta creencia en niños y quiénes son tan apasionados como lo estoy yo en la creencia que nuestros estudiantes son maravillosos y pueden conseguir sus sueno!
Al mirar hacia delante lo que nos depara este año, la Sra. Harris y yo estamos motivadas por lo que esta por venir. Los maestros han estado trabajando muy duro para crear y escribir nuevas lecciones para el desarrollo del lenguaje ingles, que ayudará a su niño/a adquirir el inglés más fácil y más rápido. También comenzamos a aprender sobre las nuevas Normas Fundamentales Comunes, que serán los nuevos objetivos que los estudiantes tendrán que aprender a través del país. Trabajaremos con usted, así le ayudara a familiarizarse con ellos mientras que el año continúa.
También, quiero compartir que nos concedieron nuestras Frutas frescas y Subvención de Verduras otra vez este año! Lo que esto significa es que proveeremos a todos los niños una fruta fresca, cuatro días de la semana en la escuela. Esperamos que esto les dé más oportunidades de comer sano y ser expuesto a la comida nutritiva en la escuela.
Esperamos que usted este en alerta para aquellas ventas de uniformes para el regreso a clases. ¡Tendremos el mismo uniforme para el próximo año, así que abastézcase de aquellas nuevas camisas agradables que son una venta por $5.00 ahora mismo en las tiendas!


In 2013, there were 766 fatal crashes in Alabama alone. Car accidents can lead to large expenses with extensive vehicle damage and medical expenses. If you are injured in a vehicle accident, make sure you are getting the full compensation you deserve.
Whether you accident was due to a product defect, drunk driver, tractor-trailer or other reason, let our investigators help collect all necessary evidence. MHH has our own storage facility where evidence can be safely held till trial. Our attorneys invest the time, energy and resources needed to hold wrongdoers accountable. Let us put our experience to work for you today.


text:
Q: PHP form entry steps, looping error occuring I am fairly new to PHP, but have applied my previous knowledge of programming, along with internet searches to get me this far.
I'm trying to make a step by step form entry, where the criteria entered on a page by page basis and only updates the database once the entire form is filled out. I plan on embellishing the form further after I get the basic functionality working on it.
As of the moment the name variable is getting populated, however after submission of the second stage it loops back to the first stage of entry, although the URL updates to stage 3, because of this the information can not get parsed to the database.
I am using PHP v5, I have seen resolutions to this issue using AJAX, but I am not using it in this instance.
Thank you for your time and efforts.
 <?php

$stage = $_GET['stage'];

//Starting on form 1
$stage = 'one';

//get form details
$name = $_POST['name'];
$surname = $_POST['surname'];

/* ---- Checking if you submitted and if you were on form one THEN set the form the stage2 in order to display the next form ---- */
if (isset($_POST['submitStage1']) && $stage == 'one') {
$stage = 'two';
echo "checking sumbit from stage1";
}
if (isset($_POST['submitStage2']) && $stage == 'two') {
$stage = 'three';
echo "checking submit from stage2 going to 3";
}

if (isset($_POST['submitStage3']) && $stage == 'three') {
    $stage = 'three';
echo "Adding to database";

}
?>

<?php
if ($stage == 'one') {
echo $stage;
?>

 Step_001

<form method="post" action="addperson.php?stage=2">
<input name="name" type="text" />
<input name="submitStage1" type="submit" />
</form>

<?php
}
?>

<?php
if ($stage == 'two') {
echo $stage;
?>

 Step_002

<form method="post" action="addperson.php?stage=3">

<input name="surname" type="text" />
<input name="submitStage2" type="submit" />

</form>

<?php
}
?>

<?php if ($stage == 'three') { echo $stage;

echo "Adding to database";

    $name = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['name']);   $surname = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['surname']);

// Add this product into the database now
$sql = mysql_query("INSERT INTO testpeople (name, surname)
        VALUES('$name','$surname')") or die (mysql_error());

    exit(); } ?>

A: You have this:
//Starting on form 1
$stage = 'one';

after you access the $_GET variable, meaning it overwrites it every time. Try putting that before the get, and it will act as a default, being careful not to overwrite it with a blank $_GET['stage'].

A: Remove
$stage = 'one' ;

Replace
$stage = $_GET['stage'];

With
$stage = isset($_GET['stage']) ? $_GET['stage'] : "one" ;

Thanks
:)


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text:
Are you a college student looking to pursue a career in the dairy industry? We want to help.
Each year, Maryland & Virginia awards a series of five $1,000 scholarships, and thanks to the MDVA Fund, the cooperative is able to offer additional scholarships to deserving students.
Scholarships are available to students pursuing careers in the dairy industry who are currently enrolled in a two or four-year accredited college, and must be one of the following:
The child of a Maryland & Virginia member
An employee of a Maryland & Virginia member
The child of a Maryland & Virginia employee
Winners are chosen based on their commitment to the dairy industry, leadership ability, initiative, character, integrity, and participation in extracurricular activities.
For more information about the cooperative's scholarship program, please contact Daniela Roland at 814-386-8000 or droland@mdvamilk.com.
Scholarship Details
The 2021 Scholarship Applications are now available. Click here for the application.
Applications are due February 19, 2021 and may be submitted either via email to contest@mdvamilk.com or mailed to the Reston Office at 1985 Isaac Newton Square West, Suite 200, Reston, VA 20190.
Download Scholarship Form
From business managers to large animal veterinarians, our scholarship program has helped to fuel a variety of successful, dairy-driven careers. Since the program's inception, Maryland & Virginia has been proud to invest more than $80,000 in scholarships to benefit more than 75 future dairy leaders in the last decade.
Scholarship recipient Katelin Benkoski works as a Credit Analyst with AgSouth Farm Credit and in her free time, enjoys helping on her family's dairy farm in Madison, Georgia. Katelin is a 2016 graduate of the University of Georgia with degrees in Animal Science and Agribusiness, and she completed her Masters of Agribusiness degree in December 2018. Katelin makes time to advocate for dairy on social media, judge local dairy shows and help 4-H and FFA students who borrow heifers from her family's farm for the Georgia Commercial Dairy Heifer Show program.
"I love having the opportunity to work with youth interested in dairy," says Katelin," Katelin Benkoski .
Katelin Benkoski | 2014 Scholarship Recipient
Scholarship recipient Ellie Grossnickle is preparing to graduate from Virginia Tech in 2020.
Ellie is a dairy science major with a minor in communications. While at Virginia Tech, she has been involved in Collegiate FFA, Sigma Alpha and the Virginia Tech Dairy Club.
"I have a huge passion for advocating for the dairy industry," said Ellie.
When considering her future plans, she hopes to change society's view about farmers and the food industry.
"I think that farmers need to be transparent. It's our time to stand up and educate consumers and make sure they are confident that milk is the best product. I want people to understand and appreciate where their food comes from," she added.
Current Winners
Congratulations 2020 Scholarship Winners!
Maryland & Virginia is pleased to announce the ten deserving students selected as this year's scholarship winners.
A total of $7,500 was awarded to help offset college expenses for the 2020-2021 academic school year.
The recipients were selected based on their responses to essay questions, financial need, leadership and career aspirations.
Jefferson, Maryland – Frederick Community College
Ryan Allen
Todd Allen
Jefferson, Maryland – Virginia Tech University
Kayla Brody
Myersville, Maryland – Frederick Community College
William Coltrane
Pleasant Garden, North Carolina – University of Mount Olive
Caroline Dallam
Bel Air, Maryland – Pennsylvania State University
Rachel Gray
Stony Point, North Carolina – University of Mount Olive
Magdelene Green
Hagerstown, Maryland – Potomac State College of West Virginia University
Tiffany Heisman
Strasburg, Virginia – Eastern Mennonite University
Isabelle Leonard
Spottswood, Virginia – Virginia Tech University


text:
April 1 coronavirus news
By Joshua Berlinger, CNN
Updated 6:38 a.m. ET, April 2, 2021
Pfizer/BioNTech says its coronavirus vaccine's protection lasts at least six months — far longer than the 90 days of protection that had been the best estimate previously offered.
A quality problem at Johnson & Johnson plant could ruin millions of vaccine doses.
Thousands of cases of the B.1.1.7 variant have now been reported across the US. The worst hit states are Florida and Michigan.
French President Emmanuel Macron imposed nationwide restrictions as hospitals in parts of the country and ICUs near capacity.
Our live coverage has ended for the day. Follow the latest on the pandemic here.
7:58 p.m. ET, April 1, 2021
Johnson & Johnson says Covid-19 vaccine still on track despite manufacturing snafu
From CNN's Jen Christensen
Johnson & Johnson said Thursday it still expects to meet its commitments for the promised delivery of an additional 24 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine in April, even after a quality problem at one of the company's contract manufacturers.
The plant that had the problem, run by Baltimore-based Emergent BioSolutions, has not yet been authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration to make the vaccine and has not made any of the doses that are in the current vaccine rollout.
Emergent told CNN the problem affected a single batch of "bulk drug substance" used to make vaccine.
In an emailed statement to CNN, Emergent said its quality control systems caught the batch that "did not meet specifications and our rigorous quality standards" before it got any further. The company said it isolated the material and will now dispose of it.
It did not detail what the ingredient was or how important it was for any resulting vaccine.
Some background: The New York Times reported Wednesday that workers at Emergent accidentally mixed up some of the ingredients that would have gone into as many as 15 million potential doses of vaccine. But Emergent CEO Bob Kramer told CNBC there was not a mixup between vaccines being made at the plant.
"It wasn't the case where an ingredient from one vaccine contaminated or impacted the other," he said.
He would not confirm the estimate that the batch would have affected 15 million doses.
"Importantly, the quality control systems worked as designed to detect and isolate this single batch," Emergent's statement said. "Discarding a batch of bulk drug substance, while disappointing, does occasionally happen during vaccine manufacturing, which is a complex and multi-step biological process."
Emergent added that it is confident the company will meet the FDA's requirements for authorization to make this vaccine. Emergent is also working on Covid-19 vaccines made by other companies.
It's still unclear when Emergent may get FDA authorization. Johnson & Johnson said it is continuing to work with the FDA and Emergent toward the authorization of the facility.
Here's what happened when Covid-19 vaccine eligibility opened up in Connecticut
From CNN's Anna Sturla
A Connecticut resident receives a Covid-19 vaccine on March 14 in Stamford. John Moore/Getty Images
More than 100,000 Covid-19 vaccine appointments were made in Connecticut on Thursday — the first day of eligibility for residents ages 16 and older, Gov. Ned Lamont said at a news conference.
About 43% of residents age 16 and older have already been vaccinated, with 65% of those 45 and older. More than 1,250,457 first doses have been administered, with 733,931 residents being fully vaccinated, the governor said.
Lamont said vaccine supply would likely outstrip demand by late April, and that complications in supply from Johnson & Johnson were not expected to immediately impact vaccine roll-out.
More data: Connecticut reported at least 1,580 new Covid-19 cases and at least 14 deaths on Thursday.
Note: These numbers were released by the state's health agency, and may not line up exactly in real-time with CNN's database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.
One dose of coronavirus vaccine is as good as two for people previously infected, study shows
From CNN's Maggie Fox
People who have recovered from Covid-19 get as strong an immune response from just one dose of coronavirus vaccine as the general population gets after two doses, researchers reported Thursday.
Their study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, lends support to earlier research that indicates vaccination boosts the effect of the immune response to natural infection.
"Overall, we found that individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 developed vaccine-induced antibody responses after a single dose of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) mRNA vaccine that were similar to antibody responses seen after a two-dose vaccination course administered to infection-naive individuals," Dr. Susan Cheng of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and colleagues wrote in their report, published in the journal Nature Medicine.
Cheng said the findings support the argument that people who know they have been infected can get by with just one dose of vaccine – potentially stretching the vaccine supply so more people can be vaccinated more quickly.
"This approach could maximize the reach of a limited vaccine supply, allowing potentially millions more people to be vaccinated in the U.S. alone," Cheng said in a statement.
"Overall, individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 developed an antibody response after a single vaccine dose that was comparable to that seen after a two-dose vaccination course administered to individuals without prior infections," added pathologist Kimia Sobhani of Cedars-Sinai, who worked on the study also.
"It appears that a single booster dose given to previously infected individuals offers the same benefit as two doses given to people without prior infection."
The team tested more than 1,000 health care workers in the Cedars-Sinai Health System who had been vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. They measured their antibody levels before or up to three days after the first dose, seven to 21 days after the first dose, and within seven to 21 days after the second dose.
The 35 people who had recovered from coronavirus had similar immune responses after one dose as 228 people who had not and who had been given both doses of vaccine – at least for 21 days afterwards. The team did not test people for longer than three weeks.
The approach is not supported by federal health officials and other experts, who say the studies show people need two doses of vaccine for optimal protection, regardless of whether they have been infected.
Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine could protect for longer than six months, physician says
From CNN's Ryan Prior
A member of the medical staff arranges the phials and syringes to prepare the different doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in Lyon, France on March 29. Jean-Philippe Ksiazek/AFP/Getty Images
Pfizer said Wednesday its vaccine can protect against Covid-19 for at least six months, but doctors can tell patients that protection will likely last longer, according to a family physician based in Orlando, Florida.
Burrowes noted that data is currently limited by the length of time since people were first vaccinated. It could turn out immunity could last well beyond the six-month figure that Pfizer has announced.
"My patients are asking me all the time, 'Once I get the vaccine, how long am I immune for?' And I didn't have an answer for them," Dr. Adrian Burrowes told Brooke Baldwin on CNN Newsroom.
"We know now that at least for six months you have some immunity due to the vaccine that is holding up pretty well."
Researchers cannot yet say if people will need boosters of the shot, as people do every year for flu vaccine, or whether the shot will provide long-term protection, as measles vaccines do.
"It's possible, certainly, that we would have to get recurrent shots for the coronavirus, and have a booster every year like we do with the flu vaccine, but right now focusing in on what we heard today about the efficacy of the vaccine and it lasting six months is great progress," Burrowes said.
Johnson & Johnson's contract manufacturer defends quality control at Baltimore vaccine plant
From CNN's Jen Christensen
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
The contract manufacturer whose Baltimore facility suffered a quality control failure affecting Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine said its quality control systems "worked as designed" and caught and isolated a single bad batch of "drug substance."
"Importantly, the quality control systems worked as designed to detect and isolate this single batch," Emergent BioSolutions said in a statement to CNN. "Discarding a batch of bulk drug substance, while disappointing, does occasionally happen during vaccine manufacturing, which is a complex and multi-step biological process," it added.
The company did not provide details of just where in the manufacturing process the quality control broke down and did not say precisely which vaccine ingredient was affected. The Baltimore-area plant makes vaccines for Johnson & Johnson, as well as other vaccine companies.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that a mix-up at the plant affected 15 million doses of vaccine.
The plant has not yet been authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration to make the vaccine, and the affected doses had not been shipped. The FDA inspects and authorizes all vaccine manufacturing facilities that supply product to the US.
"At Emergent, safety and quality are our top priorities. Our Bayview facility has been designed and validated to meet all current Good Manufacturing Practices," the company said in its statement to CNN. "In addition, there are rigorous quality checks throughout our vaccine manufacturing processes, and through these checks a single batch of drug substance was identified that did not meet specifications and our rigorous quality standards. We isolated this batch and it will be disposed of properly."
Johnson & Johnson told CNN on Wednesday that it continues to work with the FDA and Emergent toward the authorization of the facility. Johnson & Johnson has sent additional experts in manufacturing and technical operations and quality to be on site at the facility to supervise and to support all manufacturing of their vaccine.
On Thursday Johnson & Johnson said that it does "expect to meet our commitments" with the promised delivery of an additional 24 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in April.
The company met its commitment to deliver 20 million doses in March.
Michigan announces first case of variant first discovered in Brazil
From CNN's Melanie Schuman
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced that it has been notified of what it says is the first case statewide of the P.1 variant which was first identified in Brazil
The case is a Bay County resident and was reported by the commercial lab Quest.
Contact tracing is currently underway.
"We are concerned about the discovery of another variant in Michigan," Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director, said Thursday.
"It is now even more important that Michiganders continue to do what works to slow the spread of the virus by wearing their masks properly, socially distancing, avoiding crowds, washing their hands often and making a plan to get the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine once it is their turn. We all have a personal responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19 and end this pandemic as quickly as possible," she continued.
30% of the US population has received at least one shot of Covid-19 vaccine, CDC data shows
From CNN's Deidre McPhillips
A nurse administers a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to a patient at Wayside Christian Mission on March 15 in Louisville, Kentucky. Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Nearly 154 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in the United States, according to data published Thursday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reported that 153,631,404 total doses have been administered, about 77% of the 200,496,635 doses delivered.
That's about 3.4 million more doses reported since yesterday, for a record-high seven-day average of about 2.9 million doses per day. The seven-day average has topped 2.5 million doses per day for more than a week.
Thirty percent of the US population — about 99.6 million people — has received at least one dose of vaccine, and nearly 17% — about 56 million people — have been fully vaccinated.
Note: Data published by the CDC may be delayed, and doses may not have been given on the day reported.
Brazil approves emergency use of Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine
From Fernanda Wenzel and Tatiana Arias
Bottles of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson Janssen Covid-19 vaccine sit on March 25 in Los Angeles. Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images
Brazil's health regulatory agency Anvisa has approved Johnson & Johnson's single-dose Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, the agency said in a statement Wednesday.
On March 19, Brazil's health ministry signed a contract with Johnson & Johnson for the purchase of 38 million vaccine doses to be delivered between August and November of this year.
Brazil has now authorized the use of at least four Covid-19 vaccines, others being Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca and CoronaVac.
Over recent weeks, Brazil announced it has signed contracts for the acquisition of Covid-19 vaccines from Russia (Sputnik V), India (Covaxin) and the US (Moderna). However, Anvisa rejected on Wednesday India's Covaxin due to technical information related to the "Good Manufacturing Practices of the laboratory."
Currently, the only Covid-19 vaccines being administered in Brazil are AstraZeneca doses locally produced by the Brazilian Fiocruz Institute, and CoronaVac doses produced by the Butantan research institute in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo.
All Maryland residents over age 16 can now pre-register for a Covid-19 vaccine, governor says
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan speaks during a press conference in Annapolis, Maryland, on April 1. MD Governor's Office
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday announced that every resident who wants a Covid-19 vaccine can now pre-register for an appointment at a mass vaccination site.
"Though we are now opening pre-registration to all Marylanders, individuals who are currently eligible under phase one and phase two, but have still not yet been vaccinated, will continue to be prioritized," said Hogan at a briefing Thursday.
"As of this week 75% of all Marylanders over the age of 65 have been vaccinated," he said. Hogan said the remaining 25% have not been in contact with health officials or don't want the vaccine.
The governor also announced that beginning Friday the state's Eastern Shore mass vaccination site in Salisbury will open with no appointment necessary, there will be a "walk-up line for any eligible Marylander," he said.
On Thursday, "the first federal mobile vaccination units in the nation, arrived at the Maryland Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Reisterstown," the governor said.
"In the coming days, these 32-foot trailers will be fanning out across the state," said Hogan.
The mobile units will "help us get more shots into arms in remote areas and zip codes that rank high on the CDC social vulnerability index," the governor said.
Charles Gischlar, deputy director for Maryland's Department of Health, told CNN the mobile units have a soft launch tentatively set to begin on Saturday and are expected to be fully operational on Tuesday.


The Narrows is a mountaintop vineyard located in the cooler "deep end" of the Anderson Valley. The grapes from this distinctive site consistently yield complex, age-worthy wines that strike a balance between rusticity and sophistication. In the aromas and on the palate, ripe raspberry and bramble fruit layers are complemented by elements of wild mint, leather, pine needles and toasted oak. The tannins are fine-grained, and the wine displays good length and weight.


Determined to give each one of my children a comfortable and relaxing space that expresses their own personalities, I spent many late nights designing and sourcing furniture and materials starting with my oldest son Nick's spacious bedroom. Most 16 year olds have strong opinions and he was no different. So when Raymour & Flanigan contacted me and asked me if I would be interested in partnering with them through their brand influencer program, I thought to myself…"A teen bedroom makeover would be perfect"!
As the largest furniture retailer in the Northeast region in the US, I knew Raymour & Flanigan would have plenty of furniture choices to suffice my son's ever changing opinions. Not only was our local showroom filled with a vast array of styles and colors, but there were even more choices available online on their website.
Well, it's been months in the making and I am excited to reveal my son's teen bedroom makeover. But first, let's take a look at the "BEFORE" photos.
This room started out as a shared space for my two boys when we moved into this home 11 years ago. When we decided to give each of my sons his own separate room, my now 14 year old son Joe, took over this space for his bedroom and we filled it with hand me down furniture while Nick moved into another bedroom in our home.
When planning this next round of bedroom makeovers, my sons decided to switch rooms and Nick moved back into the room that he once shared with his brother. An avid sports enthusiast and a high school football player with plans to someday major in sports management, I wanted to give Nick a room to enjoy now as well as one to look forward to coming home to when he leaves for college.
I came up with two plans for the space and ultimately Plan "A" won.
We started by painting the room a rich navy blue and the color instantly transformed the space. A coat of bright white paint on the window trim and moldings added a nice contrast to the bold hued walls.
Shopping at Raymour & Flanigan couldn't be easier. After perusing their website for various furniture pieces, I headed over to their local showroom to check out all my selections. The main focal point of the room is the bed and I situated this gorgeous Keystone Platform Bed on the room's largest wall between the two windows. Complete with six spacious drawers, this piece serves double duty for sleeping and providing much needed storage.
When searching for the perfect bedside table, I was immediately drawn to the Altair Nightstand. I love the metal edge and riveted details. Finally, the Monterey Desk Lamp, with its rustic features, rounded out the furniture grouping.
I also wanted to give Nick a large desk that was spacious and storage rich. The Jayden Computer Desk and Hutch fit the bill. Not only does this piece have enough room for books, paper and supplies, it also has enough shelf space to display personal items, awards and Nick's growing collection of sports memorabilia. Along with the Jayden Chair, Nick now has a comfortable place to read and study.
When it came time to choose bedding I wanted to select something with a masculine feel but light in color to offset the dark walls. The gray and navy bedding from Pbteen paired with an eclectic mix of pillows in shades of blue, brown and gray was just what I was looking for. Plaid patterned window treatments and custom woven wood shades were the finishing touch that finally completed the overall look.
Bedding: PBteen Beachstone Stripe Duvet Cover (No longer available) Similar here.


text:
#include <Wire.h>
#include "OLED_SSD1306.h"
#include "font.h"

OLED_SSD1306::OLED_SSD1306( uint8_t i2caddr ) {
  localI2CAddress = i2caddr;
  low_col_offset = 0;
}

OLED_SSD1306::OLED_SSD1306( uint8_t i2caddr, uint8_t offset ) {
  localI2CAddress = i2caddr;
  low_col_offset = 2;
}

void OLED_SSD1306::SendCommand( unsigned char cmd ) {
  Wire.beginTransmission( localI2CAddress );
  Wire.write( 0x80 );
  Wire.write( cmd );
  Wire.endTransmission();
}

void OLED_SSD1306::SendChar( unsigned char data ) {
  Wire.beginTransmission( localI2CAddress );
  Wire.write( 0x40 );
  Wire.write( data );
  Wire.endTransmission();
}

void OLED_SSD1306::SetCursorXY( unsigned char row, unsigned char col ) {
  OLED_SSD1306::SendCommand( 0xB0 + ( row & 0x0F ) );               // set page address
  OLED_SSD1306::SendCommand( 0x00 + ( 8 * col & 0x0F ) + low_col_offset );  // set low col address
  OLED_SSD1306::SendCommand( 0x10 + ( ( 8 * col>>4 ) & 0x0F ) );    // set high col address
}

//==========================================================//
// Prints a string in coordinates X Y, being multiples of 8.
// This means we have 16 COLS (0-15) and 8 ROWS (0-7).
void OLED_SSD1306::SendStrXY( const char *string, int X, int Y ) {
  unsigned char i;

  OLED_SSD1306::SetCursorXY( X, Y );
  while( *string ) {
    for( i=0; i<8; i++ ) {
      OLED_SSD1306::SendChar( pgm_read_byte( myFont[*string-0x20] + i ) );
    }
    *string++;
  }
}

void OLED_SSD1306::ClearDisplay(void) {
  unsigned char i,j;

  OLED_SSD1306::DisplayOFF();
  for( int i=0; i < 8; i++ ) {
    OLED_SSD1306::SetCursorXY( i, 0 );
    for( int j=0; j < 128; j++ ) {
      OLED_SSD1306::SendChar( 0x00 );
    }
  }
  OLED_SSD1306::DisplayON();
}

#define Scroll_2Frames			0x07
#define Scroll_3Frames			0x04
#define Scroll_4Frames			0x05
#define Scroll_5Frames			0x00
#define Scroll_25Frames			0x06
#define Scroll_64Frames			0x01
#define Scroll_128Frames		0x02
#define Scroll_256Frames		0x03
// speed is in number of frames
void OLED_SSD1306::ScrollRight( unsigned char start, unsigned char end, unsigned char speed ) {

  SendCommand( 0x26 );  // Right Horizontal Scroll
  SendCommand( 0x00 );	// Dummy byte (Set as 00h)

  SendCommand( start );	// start page address
  SendCommand( speed );	// set time interval between each scroll
  SendCommand( end );	// end page address

  SendCommand( 0x00 );	// Dummy byte (Set as 00h)
  SendCommand( 0xFF );	// Dummy byte (Set as FFh)

  SendCommand( 0x2F );	// Activate Scroll

}

void OLED_SSD1306::ScrollStop( void ) {
  SendCommand( 0x2E );  // Deactivate Scroll
}

void OLED_SSD1306::DisplayFlipON( void ) {
  SendCommand( 0xC0 );  // Set COM Output Scan Direction
  SendCommand( 0xA0 );  // Set Segment Re-Map // column 0 mapped to SEG0
}

void OLED_SSD1306::DisplayFlipOFF( void ) {
  SendCommand( 0xC8 );  // Set COM Output Scan Direction
  SendCommand( 0xA1 );  // Set Segment Re-Map // column 127 mapped to SEG0
}
// 0xC0 & 0xA1 or 0xC8 & 0xA0 combinations are mirror like text

void OLED_SSD1306::BlinkOFF(void) {
  SendCommand( 0xA4 );  // Entire Display Normal
}

void OLED_SSD1306::BlinkON(void) {
  SendCommand( 0xA5 );  // Entire Display ON
}

void OLED_SSD1306::DisplayNormal(void) {
  SendCommand( 0xA6 );  // Set Display Normal
}

void OLED_SSD1306::DisplayInverse(void) {
  SendCommand( 0xA7 );  // Set Display Inverse
}

void OLED_SSD1306::DisplayON(void) {
  SendCommand( 0xAF );  // Set Display On
}

void OLED_SSD1306::DisplayOFF(void) {
  SendCommand( 0xAE );  // Set Display Off
}

void OLED_SSD1306::Init(void) {

  SendCommand( 0xAE );  // Set Display Off

  SendCommand( 0xA8 );  // Set Multiplex Ratio
  SendCommand( 0x3F );

  SendCommand( 0xD3 );  // Set Display Offset
  SendCommand( 0x00 );  // no offset

  SendCommand( 0x40 );  // Set Display Start Line

  SendCommand( 0xA1 );  // Set Segment Re-Map

  SendCommand( 0xC8 );  // Set COM Output Scan Direction

  SendCommand( 0xDA );  // Set COM Pins Hardware Configuration
  SendCommand( 0x12 );

  SendCommand( 0x81 );  // Set Contrast Control
  SendCommand( 0x7F );

  SendCommand( 0xA4 );  // Set Entire Display On/Off

  SendCommand( 0xA6 );  // Set Normal/Inverse Display

  SendCommand( 0xD9 );  // Set Pre-Charge Period
  SendCommand( 0xF1 );  // internal

  SendCommand( 0xDB );  // Set VCOMH Deselect Level
  SendCommand( 0x40 );

  SendCommand( 0xD5 );  // Set Display Clock Divide Ratio\Oscilator Frequency
  SendCommand( 0x80 );  // the suggested ratio 0x80

  SendCommand( 0x8D );  // Set Charge Pump
  SendCommand( 0x14 );  // Vcc internal

  SendCommand( 0x00 + low_col_offset );  // Set Lower Column Start Address

  SendCommand( 0x10 );  // Set Higher Column Start Address

  SendCommand( 0xB0 );  // Set Page Start Address for Page Addressing Mode

  // 00 - Horizontal Addressing Mode
  // 01 - Vertical Addressing Mode
  // 02 - Page Addressing Mode
  SendCommand( 0x20 );  // Set Memory Addressing Mode
  SendCommand( 0x00 );

  SendCommand( 0x21 );  // Set Column Address (only for horizontal or vertical mode)
  SendCommand( 0x00 );
  SendCommand( 0x7F );

  SendCommand( 0x22 );  // Set Page Address
  SendCommand( 0x00 );
  SendCommand( 0x07 );

  SendCommand( 0x2E );  // Deactivate Scroll

  SendCommand( 0xAF );  // Set Display On

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Tasting Notes: Lovely deep and powerful color. The wine displays a great aromatic complexity on the nose with red fruits, blueberries, and delicate oaky notes. It offers on the palate the generosity, the opulence, the power and the density of this exceptional vintage. It is an elegant and distinguished wine with a long finish showing a rare aromatic complexity.


Various reports have cited a report by The Edge Malaysia on Sunday saying that AirAsia CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes may be planning to sell niche sports car company Caterham Cars and its Formula One team.
Citing an unnamed source, the financial publication reported that the 50-year old was looking for around 350 million pounds (RM1.9 billion) for the sale of Caterham Group and all its assets. It also said an information memorandum pertaining to the sale was being circulated in the Middle East.
Fernandes, who bought Caterham in 2011, reportedly warned in January that he would pull out from Formula One if the team's performance didn't improve in 2014.
"If we're at the back, I don't think I'm going to carry on. Nothing is set in stone, but after five years with no points, there is a limit to one's patience, money and motivation," he said.
Caterham F1 has not scored a point since it entered the sport as Lotus Racing in 2010, and are currently running last in the championship.
Rumours surfaced earlier this year that the Renault Alpine-Caterham sports car partnership, which was announced in 2012, was on the brink of collapse following alleged tensions between Renault and Caterham.
There were even plans to develop a crossover SUV and subcompact car with Renault, and assemble them in Asia.
In recent years, Caterham has launched new top- and bottom-of-the-range variants of its legendary Seven sports car, announced a bikes division and premiered the striking AeroSeven concept car in Singapore.
Way to go Tony. You should have been elected p1 chairman. After 30 years of not making it, it should have been sold off…..
Don't sell it at 1 euro like what potong did on MV Agusta..
Biz is biz… if it's not performing… just get rid of it. Welldone! Or I would say.. caterham u r fired.
No vcs.. no airbags. . No roof.. not safe..
Thumbs up.. Tony.. at least you ve the guts to sell it.. any buyer?
Just declare bankrupt..or sell it at 99cent ..
He rather spend the money on QPR football team with that huge sum of money. QPR just won the pay-off championships and will be promoted to Premier League next season, with that money he can buy more players.
Why not channel the proceeds to CHARITY instead of all these non essentials.Already QPR has been promoted back to Premier League.
At least Tan Sri knows WHEN to let go an unprofitable venture,unlike Protong which forever wants GAYA,SYIOK,POMP(GSP,not GST)and refuse to ditch AILING PARASITIC LOTUS.
Quitting the ultra expensive f1 racing is the right thing to do, but isn't too soon to sell Caterham? With all the new exciting models in the pipeline, the brand certainly has the potential to be successful and profitable. It's an opportunity too good to be missed.
This guy got no interest in motoring. With so much coverage for F1, one wonders whether there's any genuine F1 fan around.
Somebody so start a Kickstarter on Caterham. Bring back the brand to sports enthusiasts.
He does not know anything about motoring, now going down to bankruptcy.
Apparently, Tony & Kamarudin Meranun had just dismissed the sale of Caterham rumours, but they are definitely in search of potential investors.
as Jaybond said.. Tony just made a statement today that its not for sale.. could be true.. or just a typical PR spin.. if anything, im very sure he knows what he is doing.
Going into F1 was not very wise. He should have developed Caterham with Renault….but now, water under the bridge.
Knowing Sir Tony,he is an excellent businessman with outstanding business acumen.Some love him,some envy.But we know in business, its all about contacts.F1,EPL,Caterham.Big players playground.Risk is always there,big or small,whatever the venture is.He is brave enough to embark,and brave enough to let go.Mark of a true gentleman.We all honestly know that he can make lots lots more from AirAsia, Tune ventures etc, but at least he is creating a niche of attainable luxury to us.Was really hoping for a Malaysian made Caterham-based car or bike,because we know it will not cost as much.
Hats off to this guy, he should look more at charity than putting his money into big toys.
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them. . Visit our Textiles Reuse Recycling web page for pat more information cart - Dont judge - Just donate! To find out if this service is available in your area, call your local recycling coordinator. FOB Price:.29-0.4 / Piece, min. If your municipality or waste hauler does not provide for recycling plastics 3-7, the remaining options are somewhat limited.e. Fishing line can be recycled at certain recycling locations in Connecticut, such as in designated state parks, boat launches, and wildlife management areas. Please keep 6ft of clearance between the carts and other objects, especially mailboxes and vehicles. The VHS video entitled "Home Composting Turning Your Spoils to Soil" is available at your local library. Each course, including dissertation courses, lasts eight weeks; most programs offer one to two courses per semester. I have witnessed a birthday party of 15 four-year olds playing this game and my mouth was literally agape. Eric Scott,.D., Moorestown, NJ Bruce. Scholarship, research, uni job positions available, PhD, inference, Germany. Chariots of Hope accepts used wheelchairs, and New England Assistance Technology Center at Oak Hill, as well as the Hospital for Special Care accepts not only used wheelchairs, but other medical eqipment such as tub benches, canes, rollator walkers, ramps and raised toilet seats. Body fluids or items dripping with body fluids, discarded sharps, BMW generated from research, etc.) either by incineration, discharge to a sanitary sewer, treatment by steam sterilization or other alternative treatment technology. Rule 7 - No begging for goods or services. If disposal is the only option, land-clearing debris is considered bulky waste, and may be disposed of at any permitted solid waste disposal facility that accepts bulky waste, such as at a resource recovery facility (RRF solid waste landfill, or transfer station.
offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.Select this item.This is great for reports of repetitive writing of things like name or phone number.
Check with a local service station or an Auto Parts Store to see if sharpie they will accept. I need a synonym this is a great vocabulary building exercise. If you want them to love learning. Continue until everyone has gone, if your town does not accept used oil or filters. Under the law, place in a can or container before putting it into trash. Cardboard and desktoplaptop computers, contact a hauler to transport the ACM to an approved disposal site. Fish and other species can become entangled and this will often lead to death. Did that credit card offer or medical bill come with advertisements or a return envelope.
Get to know them and what they like.Mattresses A special voluntary program is in place for recycling mattresses. .Mercury-Containing Products Thermometers Mercury fever thermometers are easy to identify since they have a distinct, grayish-silver liquid in the bulb (if the liquid in the thermometer is red, it is alcohol, not mercury, and may be disposed of in the regular trash).


text:
Southern Mail
Home News Children out of school need to be 'kept busy'
Children out of school need to be 'kept busy'
ROSHAN ABRAHAMS
Community leader Michelle Arendse.
Community leaders are looking for a venue where children who have not found a place at school can go to be kept busy while they wait to be enrolled.
So far, they say, their efforts have been unsuccessful while the education department says they need to be told as a matter of urgency which children need to be placed in school.
Michelle Arendse, a community leader in Lavender Hill, said children need to be kept busy.
Although she did not want to estimate how many children she had seen roaming the streets, she said there were too many growing up without education and guidance.
She said there were many different reasons why children couldn't get into a school.
These included not having birth certificates or being able to secure a space as schools were full.
Ms Arendse, whose community work includes volunteering at the Lavender Hill community hall for the City of Cape Town's after school programme, is worried about the children who are getting left behind. "I cannot confirm that crime has escalated since there are so many children out of school, however, I can say that kids do get mischievous and do naughty things because they do not know right from wrong."
She said a facility to help the children while they waited to be enrolled at school was much needed.
Janice Benjamin, also a community leader in Lavender Hill, mentioned a boy of school-
going age who could not be enrolled as he needed to apply for a new birth certificate but his mother could not be found.
Abe Braaf, a Pelican Park community worker, said he had asked the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to inter-
vene where children were not in school and consult with the community leaders to find a solu-
tion.
Ms Braaf said he wrote an email to Education MEC Debbie Shäfer highlighting their concerns about children between the ages of seven and 15 in different areas who were not attending school.
"Some of the parents of these children gave various reasons as to why these children do not attend school. Some parents (said) unemployment, inadequate housing and poverty among others," wrote Mr Braaf.
He said this led to problems in the communities as the children "get involved in petty crime, (develop) bad habits and mix with bad company".
He added: "We are asking why your office, as indicated by the School's Act 1996 Act no 84 Clause 6 (a) and (b) not charge these parents."
Mr Braaf requested a meeting with the WCED and said they had drafted a list of proposals which they would like to present to their office. "We are willing to give our support and assistance to attend to the problems around education and schools in our communi
ties."
Mr Braaf said there were community leaders from Parkwood, Mitchell's Plain, Delft, Lotus River, Lavender Hill, Ottery, Pelican Park, Schaapkraal and Strandfontein who would like to meet with Ms Shäfer, as a matter of urgency.
Mr Braaf received a response from Irene King, an administrator in the provincial education department, on Thursday March 23, which he forwarded to Southern Mail. It said the letter would be discussed at the next diary meeting with Ms Shäfer and they would provide feedback.
Jessica Shelver, spokesperson for Ms Shäfer, said they were concerned about claims that there were pupils who were not in school. "We request that Mr Braaf send us the alleged list urgently so that if, as he claims, these learners are out of school, we can intervene and place them as soon as possible."
Southern Mail tried to get hold of Mr Braaf to ask him if he had a list of children who are out of school, but he could not be reached by the time this edition went to print.
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The Southern Mail (formerly the Southern Mail Shopper) was established in 1986 and renamed Southern Mail in 2009. This long established popular community title includes the key shopping centres Ottery Hypemarket and Blue Route Mall within its distribution area.
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text:
Q: How do I run Delphi 7 on Windows 7 without disabling UAC? I had the bad idea of switching to Windows 7 (32 bit) and now my old Delphi 7 won't work properly. Actually it worked just fine until yesterday but (I suppose) after some MS Windows updates, it crashes if I double click a DPR file. However, it works if I run as administrator or if I start Delphi IDE without double clicking a DPR file (and than loading that DPR). So, obviously it is a UAC issue. I am really pissed of that I switched to Win 7 which is not most different (better) than Win XP. If I have to switch off UAC (and with it the only big improvement that Win 7 brings - the security) than for real I will have no advantage from Win 7.
So, how to make Delphi work without disabling the UAC?
I hope that other people that had this problem found a solution.
:)

Update:

*

*I have tried already to give Delphi rights to write in its "c:\Program File\Borland\Delphi folder". No luck.

*I don't want to run it in Admin mode (this includes XP mode) since it will be running at a different level. Some API calls will not fail (since it is running in admin mode). Drag and drop from non-admin program and other similar features will also not work.

*Security is not a problem. I don't mindlessly download any piece of software I get from random people (read spammers) via email or from obscure web site so I don't get virused. Oh... and I don't use IE for browsing :)

A: Try installing Delphi outside %program files%. It's the best bet for software that wasn't designed with UAC (or guidelines on where to store user data since about NT4) in mind.
I am running Delphi 5 and 7 on Windows 7 that way, no problems thus far.

A: The best solution is the XP Mode of Windows 7 Professional. I recommend to convert and use the XP Mode VM with VMware Player. Then it is fast and reliable.
Update: So in fact it's not the XP Mode itself, which I recommend, but the XP license which goes along with it. You can duplicate it as many times you need,  but (of course) use only one instance at a time.

A: Solved. It was a DDE problem.
I just deleted the ddeexec key associated with Delphi projects.

A: Easiest way install it as administrator ,or search google for the appropriate file if you are still having problems then the folder is probably set to read only so you must change that.
This actually works this is how i made mine work


(Reuters) - Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Evans said on Friday that the U.S. central bank's priority must be to get inflation back to its 2 percent target.
"The first order thing for policy right now is to get inflation up to our objective," Evans said at a financial literacy event in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
He also said the labor market may still have further room to run, despite low unemployment.
Minutes of the Fed's most recent meeting in September, released on Wednesday, showed that policymakers had a broad debate about the causes of weak inflation and the impact on interest rates if it fails to rebound.
Evans has been cautious about future interest rate rises and is currently advocating a wait-and-see approach on inflation.
The central bank's preferred measure of inflation has been retreating from the Fed's target rate for the past few months, and policymakers remain divided.
The Fed is well underway in a tightening cycle that began in late 2015. It has raised interest rates twice this year and still predicts another push upwards in the benchmark overnight lending rate by the end of 2017.
Investors predict the Fed will next raise interest rates in December.


Are you in love with your boss?
Easy, now. Not that kind of love. But, the kind of love that makes you want to do better, work harder and achieve more.
It sounds like traditional, fluffy, ooey-gooey love. It's similar in that it makes one want to be a better person, to please the other part of this relationship.
Wait. Did I just say "relationship?" Indeed, I did.
The relationship between a boss and an employee is one of the most important relationships there is. And if you aren't in love with your boss, you probably aren't in love with your job, either.
Whether the boss is the owner or your manager, the relationship here is everything. Statistics show that employees leave their manager, not their company.
Makes sense if you think about it. This relationship, like any other, requires mutual respect, things in common, the ability to listen, compromise and achieve a common goal (which, hopefully, is to bring success/profit to the company).
Fast forward to 2018, where culture and efficiency is all — and retention at Amazon is much better, now.
The first rule of human resources is to drive the bottom line, through employee engagement, efficiency and performance. Everything else flows from there. We cannot stress enough the importance of culture. Culture is what draws good workers to a company, and it's what keeps them there. Culture is not just a vibe — it's an efficient back-end workhorse, with favorable salary ratios within the industry, and the often-pursued work/life balance.
Solid ownership makes sure that every hire knows the purpose of the business. In early days, the owner/operator is the HR department. Each hire must reflect the owner and the goals of the company. Therefore, (plain talk) indifferent owners make poor hires who, in turn, foster disgruntled employees. Hence, the bad boss who we all want to leave.
In this way, good companies may end up with bad people, people who end up being bad managers and create turnover. It's best to grasp this concept early, and hire right, hire well. Always be on the lookout for talent that matches your goals. It is difficult (although not impossible) to turn this around, and usually requires a re-staff of some kind.
All the ice cream socials in the world won't make up for misguided employees with no clue or desire to drive the business forward. It must start at the top.
The call to action here starts with the owner, and filters through from there.
Hire the people who serve your mission. Why are you in business? Is everyone employed by you aware of your why? And, when you do have HR at the helm, make sure HR aligns with that "why." The rest will flow from there.
A native Las Vegan, Amy Matthews leads human resources and business development in Southern Nevada for the Nevada Association of Employers.


Join MDA's competitive or performing program! If interested in furthering your dance education and join a community of dancers please attend our next available auditions.
[COMPETITIVE] – PRE- PROFESSIONAL COMPANY Attending 1 convention (VIP DANCE EVENTS), 3 local dance competitions and 1 finals competition optional title competition.


This is part one in a four-part series by New York Cocktails author Amanda Schuster about New York's role in shaping how we drink. Read parts two and three.
There is much talk about the influence New York City culture has on the modern cocktail movement. However, it's amazing how many misconceptions there are about when, exactly, it began—as though using fresh sour mix and esoteric liqueurs in drinks is something that only started happening in the past couple decades.
The reality is that there have always been bars in the Big Apple as well as celebrity bartenders. However, compared to today, very little of their work was recorded and properly attributed. For the most part, it wasn't until the self-described cocktail geeks in the late 20th century started comparing notes and collecting their books (the first editions of which are now worth a small fortune) that people started paying attention to them again.
What is more recent is the "pictures or it didn't happen" trend of sharing recipes on visual platforms like Instagram. And sadly, before the modern era, only the people who really sought out the spotlight were credited for their drinks and techniques. There were probably hundreds of barkeeps around the city who served impressive cocktails at taverns and saloons, but a century later, we only have records of a few. Still, we can be thankful to those who wrote down their findings.
Below, we detail some of New York's most famous pre-Prohibition bartenders, and how they impacted modern cocktail culture.
Professor Jerry Thomas' bar, located in what is now referred to as the Flatiron neighborhood, became famous for the inventive drinks he served there. At the time, changing up a single ingredient in a drink, or employing a vessel with a non-traditional shape, was interpreted as mind-blowingly progressive and new. And this guy went all out. He learned to throw flaming drinks between mugs to make the Blue Blazer and other techniques while traveling the world, all for the sake of impressing guests.
His 1862 book Bartenders' Guide (How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion) is a landmark publication geared toward the profession of mixing drinks that, until then, had never existed in such a capacity. It is here that some of the world's most famous drink recipes (such as the Improved Cocktail) and techniques were first published, and it continues to be an indispensable reference to so many people interested in drinks culture.
Dale DeGroff, who is referred to as "King Cocktail" and considered one of the founding contributors to the modern cocktail movement, would have been up the mixing tin without a jigger if it weren't for Professor Thomas' legacy. In the early '80s, restaurateur Joe Baum employed young DeGroff as the head bartender in the second revamping of the Rainbow Room, with what was then considered a revolutionary concept: classic cocktails with fresh ingredients. Baum shoved a copy of the Bartenders' Guide at DeGroff and basically said, "Here, kid. Figure it out." The rest is history.
For about 16 years "The Only William" was the most famous bartender in the world, helped along by an article written in the The New York Sun about the fanciful drinks he served at The Bridge Saloon at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. Born in Hamburg, Germany, he immigrated to Chicago in the late 1860s and already had a following by the time he moved to NYC in 1884. Recipes from this "acrobatic" bartender can be found in the 1892 book The Flowing Bowl: When and What To Drink (the first edition, along with Bartenders' Guide, can be viewed for free on euvslibrary.com).
Compared to Thomas, they seem a bit fussy now, and the book contains many complicated, multi-ingredient recipes with products like crème de roses. However, the book also lends some interesting insight into technique, history, and ingredients in the opening pages—information intended to maximize bar service potential. He is known for having created a $5 recipe at a time when drinks cost only 15 cents, although according to cocktail historians like Jared Brown, Anistatia Miller, and David Wondrich who have searched high and low for it in newspaper archives, the recipe is lost. In fact, many of his drink recipes were never recorded because he was known for his showmanship, often creating new mixtures on the spot.
In a way, the modern movement toward drinks with several layers of flavors and all manner of tinctures and exotic liqueurs can be traced back to Schmidt. However, he's also famous for his simple punches meant to serve a crowd, and for creating the refreshing cognac sour cocktail, Alabazam, which can be interpreted as a less sweet, tall variation of the Sidecar.
Another successful German-born bartender was Harry Johnson, who got his start at hotels and steakhouses like Delmonico's. He amassed such a following at a certain point, with distinguished guests like Boss Tweed and Ulysses S. Grant, that he was able to open his own bars around the city. If we had a time machine, it must come equipped with a setting to visit Johnson's swank, ornately furnished Little Jumbo, a lounge located at 119 Bowery (now a wholesale furniture store). The bar's sign was a list of drink names cleverly arranged in a pyramid shape, with Gin Rickey, from the 1882 edition of his Bartenders Manual, propping the upper tier. Rickeys, incidentally, are the fraternal highball twin to the Collins, with lime instead of lemon juice.
One of Johnson's last gigs was in the early 1900s at Keen's Chop House (back when it was still spelled with an apostrophe). The bar there, according to Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller in their fascinating peek into the era, The Deans of Drink, was what he considered the "perfect work station." It is largely unchanged from that time, and is one of the quintessential spots in the city to sip a classic cocktail like a Manhattan or Martini amongst the great ghosts of bartenders past.
Orsamus Willard: If you found yourself at the City Hotel in 1815, the signature drink was his Apple Toddy, which Jerry Thomas tweaked for his book decades later.
Martha King Niblo and William Niblo: Back in the 1830s when SoHo was a garden district, the backyard of this establishment owned by this couple is where all the art and theater people convened, and drank the earliest known versions of Sherry Cobblers.
Anyone who worked at Fraunces Tavern in the mid to late 1700s: This establishment, having survived numerous fires and revolutions, still stands in Lower Manhattan next to The Dead Rabbit.
It's where the Sons of Liberty met over numerous drinks as they hashed out plans to start a whole new independent country, and where George Washington bid farewell to his troops in 1783.
Can you imagine the pressure? What might have happened if service had gone wrong? If someone gave them a negative Yelp review and the bar was forced to close? Sadly, we don't know the names of the people who worked those nights. But their souls deserve a good tip.
We owe a debt of gratitude to these pioneering New York bartenders for shaping the way mixed drinks are presented in the modern era. Sure, we don't measure in "ponies" anymore and some of the ingredients are lost to time, but their 19th century recipes and techniques serve as a fascinating, useful blueprint for modern cocktail making.
If you really want to learn how it's done, get off the internet and pick up a book or dig into some newspapers archives. There's a wealth of information to be served up about our nation's cocktailing past that still can't be found online.
Editor's note: This post was updated on October 17.


THE ROAD TO KHALISTAN: Back To The Inquisition!
Who seeks refuge on the mountain.
Today Military commission charges were handed down that seek the death penalty against CCR's client Guantánamo detainee Mohammed al Qahtani.
No military commission against Mr. Al Qahtani will ever achieve justice. Instead, it will deteriorate into a controversy over secret trials and the United States' well-documented torture of Mr. al Qahtani during interrogations at Guantánamo.
For the past six years, the United States government has refused to conduct traditional criminal trials or courts martial against Guantanamo detainees suspected of wrongdoing.
Instead, the military commissions at Guantanamo allow secret evidence, hearsay evidence, and evidence obtained through torture. They are unlawful, unconstitutional, and a perversion of justice.
Now the government is seeking to execute people based on this utterly unreliable and tainted evidence: it is difficult to imagine a more morally reprehensible system. Executions based on secret trials and torture evidence belong to another century. These barbaric sham proceedings will likely to inflame the controversy surrounding Guantanamo and draw the condemnation of even our allies.
Career military officers have already resigned because they could not stomach participating in a military commission system that goes against every principle of justice, due process and the rule of law. In particular, they were opposed to precisely the kinds of issues that will be the focus of Mr. al Qahtani's commission - the United States' use of torture and subsequent efforts to hide the criminal conduct of U.S. personnel.
Mr. al Qahtani may be the one charged today, but it is the illegality of his interrogation under torture that will be tried in the commission. Regardless of the results, no one will ever have confidence in the outcome of these military commissions.
The United States has nothing legitimate to gain from prosecuting prisoners in military commissions at Guantanamo and a great deal to lose.
What kind of a nation have we become that we would rely on torture evidence, secret trials and an untested and deeply flawed system to impose the death penalty?
Our nation must abandon the failed experiment at Guantanamo. If the administration believes Mr. Al Qahtani has committed a crime, he should be charged and tried in a lawful proceeding worthy of our country.


Victoria's from Russia, Ahmet's from Turkey. How did they meet? The University Wisconsin of course! Needless to say there was a lot of family flying in from all over the place to see the wedding, but that didn't stop anyone from having a good time. It really amazes me how two families from totally different backgrounds can come together for a bride and groom, all in the name of love. Both sides blended extremely well. If you didn't know any better, you would have thought everyone were already great friends! For the photos, we started out day at the UC Botanic gardens, downtown Riverside, and finally the Riverside Art Museum for the ceremony and reception. It was a perfect balance of landscape and the city feel of downtown. Thanks for the memories guys, they're mine just as much as they are yours :) Wish you both the best!