text:
Surging Braves sweep Pirates, win 7th straight
Atlanta has improved in multiple areas ahead of showdown with Phillies
By Mark Bowman @mlbbowman
ATLANTA -- A little more than two months after being swept out of Philadelphia to open the season, the surging Braves are right where they want to be as they prepare to welcome the second-place Phillies to Atlanta. There's certainly no denying the current strength of the Braves' lineup, which
ATLANTA -- A little more than two months after being swept out of Philadelphia to open the season, the surging Braves are right where they want to be as they prepare to welcome the second-place Phillies to Atlanta.
There's certainly no denying the current strength of the Braves' lineup, which is once again being enriched by Ozzie Albies' dynamic potential. Albies' double highlighted a five-run fifth inning that enabled Atlanta to complete a four-game sweep with a 6-5 win over the Pirates on Thursday afternoon at SunTrust Park.
"This is more of what I pictured," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "I felt like we're going to have to get this thing going and play, and let it play out. It's been everybody. It's not just one guy. It's a team effort. They're out there working and playing up to their capabilities."
The Braves have won a season-best seven straight games, and they have gone 22-10 since being swept at Dodger Stadium in May. They now stand with the Dodgers as the only National League teams with at least 40 wins and will carry a 1 1/2-game division lead into Friday's series opener against the Phillies, who have lost eight of their past 13 games.
"We're playing good baseball from top to bottom," Braves catcher Brian McCann said. "Our lineup has been absolutely phenomenal. Our defense has been great. We show up on a nightly basis to play. We've got a lot of good things going on right now."
Here is a look at how the Braves have improved in multiple facets since the start of the season:
OFFENSE: Over the 31 games played with Ronald Acuna Jr. back in the leadoff spot, the Braves have averaged 5.61 runs per game, which ranks second in the NL during this span. Over the 38 games that preceded this lineup switch, Atlanta averaged 4.82 runs per game, which ranked eighth.
This improvement has certainly been influenced by the fact this adjustment was made six days before the arrival of Austin Riley, who has 10 homers and a .950 OPS through the first 27 games of his career. But Acuna's return to the top of the lineup has certainly maximized the value of Freddie Freeman, who has produced the NL's third-best OPS (1.092) since Snitker made this move.
Freeman fueled Thursday's five-run fifth with a triple off Joe Musgrove, who started on two days' rest after being ejected in the first inning of Monday's series opener. But the big blow in the inning was the two-run double produced by Albies, who has further lengthened a potent lineup while hitting .338 with a 1.006 OPS over his past 19 games.
There was certainly reason to worry when Albies hit .197 with a .582 OPS against right-handed pitchers over a 109-game stretch that dated back to last year's All-Star break. But the switch-hitting second baseman has quieted concerns while hitting .378 (14-for-37) with a 1.219 OPS from the left side over his past 13 games.
"It's fun to watch opposing managers try to get through our lineup," Freeman said. "They haven't been succeeding the past couple weeks."
ROTATION: Dallas Keuchel is not set to make his Atlanta debut before next weekend's series against the Nationals. But the Phillies will be seeing a rotation that looks much different than the injury-depleted one they saw in March, when they faced Julio Teheran and two prospects -- Bryse Wilson and Kyle Wright.
Nor will the Phillies have to face Mike Soroka, who endured his first rough start of the season Wednesday, or Teheran, who extended his recent success by limiting the Pirates to two runs -- one earned -- over six innings. Instead, they'll face Max Fried, Sean Newcomb and Mike Foltynewicz.
While Fried has produced a 5.09 ERA over his past nine starts and Foltynewicz has not yet rekindled last year's success, the rotation has been bolstered by the latest revitalization of Teheran, who has a 0.81 ERA over his past eight starts.
At some point within the next six weeks, the Braves might benefit from acquiring a frontline starter. But if Teheran continues to work his magic and Foltynewicz eventually finds himself, this rotation certainly has the potential to be much more consistent over the remainder of the season.
BULLPEN: When closer Luke Jackson allowed the Pirates to cut the deficit to one run with consecutive two-out hits in Thursday's ninth, there was further reason to believe the Braves need to add a proven closer or more depth to their bullpen. Jackson's vast improvement has solidified this relief corps, but he's now allowed a run in six of his past 10 appearances.
The Braves will miss Newcomb's bullpen presence for a few days while he makes what will likely amount to just one spot start to allow Keuchel a chance to prepare for his season debut. But this corps has been enriched by the in-season additions of Jerry Blevins and Anthony Swarzak. Blevins helped complete this latest sweep by working a perfect eighth after Swarzak cleaned Touki Toussaint's seventh-inning mess by striking out Colin Moran.
"This is the baseball we expect to play," Freeman said. "What we've been doing the last two, three or four weeks is what I think all of us envisioned. We knew when we put it all together, we'd be really good and tough to beat. The last couple weeks it's been fun to watch."
Mark Bowman has covered the Braves for MLB.com since 2001.
Ozzie Albies
Julio Teheran


text:
Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
An eerie abandoned gentlemen's club built for British officials during the colonial era.
Foedlru (Atlas Obscura User)
Top Places in Yangon
Shwedagon Pagoda
Chin Tsong Palace
Nagar Glass Factory
This deteriorating Victorian-style clubhouse was built in 1882 just outside of what was then Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar). It was constructed during the annexation of Burma by the British, as an exclusive watering hole for soldiers and officials of the British Army.
The complex features long, two-story mansions that served as ballrooms, salons, and private rooms. It was one of the most prestigious and popular of the gentlemen's clubs built in Southeast Asia during the height of the British Empire. The club wined and dined British royalty and many high-ranking officials within its walls, and its name lives on through its signature gin-based cocktail, the Pegu Club, that's still served in bars today. Sadly, the racist membership policy of the time limited admission to whites only, and locals were only allowed in the club as workers.
Somewhat surprisingly, the club stayed open for about two decades after Burmese independence was gained. It was eventually taken over by the Burmese military and later abandoned and left to rot. For years, the old colonial-era clubhouse remained in a state of decay, desperately in need of repair. After significant restorations, it reopened for business in November 2018.
Our Latest Book
Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide
Introducing the definitive guide to the world's culinary wonders. Covering all seven continents, our new book serves up a loaded plate of incredible ingredients, food adventures, and edible wonders.
clubs racism cocktails colonialism bars abandoned history
Foedlru
Superyachtsailing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegu_Club
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1971/11/burma/306271/?single_page=true
https://www.mmtimes.com/in-depth/7441-a-toast-to-the-past-3.html
Pyay Rd
This gem-encrusted temple is said to contain some of the Buddha's hair which can make the deaf hear and the blind see.
This extravagant villa built by a Burmese merchant is part pagoda and part European mansion.
The ruins of this prominent glass factory yield hidden treasures buried among the jungle floor.
Taukkyan War Cemetery
Myanmar's beautiful cemetery for Allied soldiers who perished during World War II.
Li Po Cocktail Lounge
One of the last remnants of the city's Chinese nightclub scene is now a dive bar selling killer mai tais.
Halle (Saale), Germany
Anton Wilhelm Amo Monument
The monument honors the first (and for a long time, only) African-born philosopher to teach at a German university.
The Arctic Club
The historic bar where local ship captains, traders, and gold miners would come together to do business a century ago.
Jaffna, Sri Lanka
Old Kachcheri
These abandoned ruins in the middle of Jaffna have withstood centuries of tumultuous power struggles.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: sql Properly grouping my table I'm using MS Access in order to play around with tables through SQL. I want to properly group my table and this is an example of what I want to do. Say I have a table like this:
Cool?  |  Age
 Yes   |  15
 No    |  34
 No    |  12
 Yes   |  26
 Yes   |  10

What I want is the resulting table to show how many ppl are cool or not grouped by age. For instance in this example it would be:
 AGE  |   Count that are cool  | Count that is Not cool

 <25  |          2             |           1

 >=25 |          1             |           1

Thanks in advance!

A: Try this:
case when age<25 then '<25' when age>=25 then '>=25' end as age, count(case when age<25 then 1 else null end) as [Count that are cool], count(case when age>=25 then 1 else null end) as [Count that is Not cool]
    from Table1
    group by case when age<25 then '<25' when age>=25 then '>=25' end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Python - what to do when you can't use the break statement? How do you break out of the loop when you get in this situation (I'm still a beginner so I don't know everything even though this might be a "simple" problem)?
while True:
    s = input('Enter something : ')
    if len(s) > 3:
        print('too big')
        continue
    if s == 'quit':
        break
    print('something')

As you can see you can't break out of the loop because "quit" has more than 3 characters.

A: You could use iter with a sentinel value and a for loop instead of while:
for s in iter(lambda: input('Enter something : '), 'quit'):
    if len(s) > 3:
        print('too big')
    else:
        print('something')

A: You should restructure your program like so, placing the second if-statement above the first:
while True:
    s = input('Enter something : ')
    if s == 'quit':  # Do this check first
        break
    elif len(s) > 3:  # Then see if the input is too long
        print('too big')
        continue
    print('something')


Technology is playing an essential role in the clean energy transition that we are witnessing in Europe and all over the world. The European electric power industry is at the forefront of this transformation. The research & development programmes provide crucial support to launch large-scale projects and innovative technologies into the market. T&D Europe is taking part in EU-funded research & development programmes as a technology and innovation provider for electricity grids in Europe.


The Holiday Pajamas have been recolored in 21 solid swatches to be worn all year round. For these to show up, don't forget to download the original mesh here. You can have separate packages or get the merged package; choose one or the other.


text:
Yazidis Genocide – Massacres, Sexual Slavery & Forced Exile
April 26, 2016 Blog, Iraq, isis, Islamic Extremists, Islamic Stateancient religion Yazidism, The Yezidis, Yazidi people of Northern Iraqbelfastchildis
The Genocide & inhuman abuse of the Yazidi people
The plight of the Yazidi people of Northern Iraq and Syria has drifted in and out of the public consciousness over the past few years , as these followers of the ancient religion Yazidism – have been pursued and brutalised by the mad men of Islamic State and their deluded followers.
Their men folk have been killed and women systematically raped and force to act as " Sex Slaves" to fighters of IS and they have been forced into exile from their ancestral lands in Northern Iraq . Over the past few weeks and months mass graves have been uncovered and the true horror of the persecution of the Yazidis people is yet to be told.
See Newsweek for full story
The Yazidi people (also Yezidi, Êzidî; i/jəˈziːdiːz/ yə-ZEE-dees) are an ethno-religious groupindigenous to the northern Mesopotamia (see also Ezidkhan) whose strictly endogamous. And ancient religion Yazidism (or Sharfadin) is not linked to Zoroastrianism but linked to ancient Mesopotamian religions; however Yazidis form a distinct and independent religious community and have their own culture.Yazidis only intermarry with Yazidis. Yazidis who marry with non-Yazidis are expelled from her family and may not even more call themselves Yazidis.. They live primarily in the Nineveh Province of Iraq. Additional communities in Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Iran, and Syria have been in decline since the 1990s as a result of significant migration to Europe, especially to Germany.[34] In Armenia, the Yazidis are recognized as a distinct ethnic group and generally do not consider themselves to be Kurdish. The United Nations also recognized the Yazidis as a distinct ethnic group. And according to the Human Rights Watch in 2009, the Yazidis are currently undergoing a process of Kurdification
THE Yezidis RELIGION IN English
The Yazidis are monotheists, believing in God as creator of the world, which he has placed under the care of seven holy beings or angels, the chief of whom is Melek Taus, the Peacock Angel. The Peacock Angel, as world-ruler, causes both good and bad to befall individuals, and this ambivalent character is reflected in myths of his own temporary fall from God's favour, before his remorseful tears extinguished the fires of his hellish prison and he was reconciled with God.
This belief builds on Sufi mystical reflections on Iblis, who refused to prostrate to Adam despite God's express command to do so. Because of this connection to the Sufi Iblis tradition, some followers of other monotheistic religions of the region equate the Peacock Angel with their own unredeemed evil spirit Satan, which has incited centuries of persecution of the Yazidis as "devil worshippers." Persecution of Yazidis has continued in their home communities within the borders of modern Iraq, under fundamentalist Sunni Muslim revolutionaries.
Starting in August 2014, the Yazidis were targeted by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in its campaign to "purify" Iraq and neighbouring countries of non-Islamic influences.
The Plight of the Yazidis in picture
Exodus:
Yazidis flee to safety from Islamic State helped by Kurdish fighters.
See below for more details on persecution from Islamic State & persecution
The Yazidi people speak Kurmanji Kurdish and adhere to the religion Yazidism (see Yazdânism), a religion rooted in Iranian religions blended with elements of pre-Islamic Mesopotamian religious traditions.
Although they speak mostly Kurdish, their ethnicity is obscure.Commentators identify the Yazidis as predominantly Kurds but according to some sources, they tend to regard themselves as distinct from Kurds.Many Yazidis say that Kurds are originally Yazidi who shifted culturally after they adopted Islam.
The United Nations recognizes the Yazidis as a distinct ethnic group. A report from Human Rights Watch (HRW), in 2009, declares that to incorporate disputed territories in northern Iraq-particularly the Nineveh province- into the Kurdish region, KRG and Kurdish authorities have embarked on a two-pronged strategy of inducement and repression. The HRW report also criticizes heavy-handed tactics. According to report: "The goal of these tactics is to push Shabak and Yazidi communities to identify as ethnic Kurds. The Kurdish authorities are working hard to impose Kurdish identity on two of the most vulnerable minorities in Iraq, the Yazidis and the Shabaks". Their principal holy site is in Lalish, northeast of Mosul. The Yazidis' own name for themselves is Êzidî or Êzîdî or, in some areas, Dasinî (the latter, strictly speaking, is a tribal name). Some scholars have derived the name Yazidi from Old Iranian yazata (divine being), and some Yazidis themselves believe that their name is derived from the word Yezdan or Êzid "God", though the current consensus among Western academics support the widespread idea that it is a derivation from Umayyad Caliph Yazid I (Yazid bin Muawiyah), who is revered as Sultan Ezi. The Yazidis' cultural practices are observed in Kurdish, and all speak Kurdish language. Kurdish language is the language of almost all the orally transmitted religious traditions of the Yazidis.
The religion of the Yazidis, Yazidism, is a kind of Yazdânism and has many influences: Sufi influence and imagery can be seen in the religious vocabulary, especially in the terminology of the Yazidis' esoteric literature, but much of the theology is non-Islamic. Their cosmogonies apparently have many points in common with those of ancient Persian religions. Early writers attempted to describe Yazidi origins, broadly speaking, in terms of Islam, or Persian, or sometimes even "pagan" religions; however, research published since the 1990s has shown such an approach to be simplistic.
Yazidi man in traditional clothes.
The origin of Yazidism is now usually seen by scholars as a complex process of syncretism, whereby the belief system and practices of a local faith had a profound influence on the religiosity of adherents of the 'Adawiyya Sufi order living in the Yezidi mountains, and caused it to deviate from Islamic norms relatively soon after the death of its founder, Shaykh 'Adī ibn Musafir, who is said to be of Umayyad descent. He settled in the valley of Laliş (some 36 miles north-east of Mosul) in the early 12th century. Şêx Adî himself, a figure of undoubted orthodoxy, enjoyed widespread influence. He died in 1162, and his tomb at Laliş is a focal point of Yazidi pilgrimage.
According to the Yezidi calendar, April 2012 marked the beginning of their year 6,762 (thereby year 1 would have been in 4,750 BC in the Gregorian calendar).
During the 14th century, important Yezidi tribes whose sphere of influence stretched well into what is now Turkey (including, for a period, the rulers of the principality of Jazira) are cited in historical sources as Yazidi. According to Moḥammed Aš-Šahrastani,"The Yezidis are the followers of Yezîd bn Unaisa, who [said that he] kept friendship with the first Muhakkama before the Azariḳa" . "It is clear, then, that Aš-Šahrastani finds the religious origin of this interesting people in the person of Yezîd bn Unaisa. … We are to understand, therefore, that to the knowledge of the writer, bn Unaisa is the founder of the Yezidi sect, which took its name from him." "Now, the first Muhakkamah is an appellative applied to the Muslim schismatics called Al-Ḫawarij. … According to this it might be inferred that the Yezidis were originally a Ḫarijite sub-sect.""Yezid moreover, is said to have been in sympathy with Al-Abaḍiyah, a sect founded by 'Abd-Allah Ibn Ibaḍ."
See wikipedia.or/Yazidis for more information
Genocide of Yazidis by ISIL
Genocide of Yazidis by ISIL refers to the genocide of the Yazidi people of Iraq, leading to their expulsion, flight and effectively exiling them from their ancestral lands in North Iraq, the abduction of Yazidi women and massacres of at least 5,000 Yazidi civilians,during what has been called a "forced conversion campaign" being carried out in Northern Iraq by the militant organization the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS), starting in 2014.
ISIL's persecution of the Yazidi gained international attention, and directly led to the American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–present) which started with United States airstrikes against ISIL. Additionally, the US, UK, and Australia made emergency airdrops to Yazidis who had fled to a mountain range (see Sinjar massacre, § Refugee crisis in the Sinjar Mountains), and provided weapons to the Kurdish Peshmerga defending them. ISIL's actions against the Yazidi population resulted in approximately 500,000 refugees and several thousand killed and kidnapped.
The Yazidis are monotheists who believe in a benevolent peacock angel (Melek Taus) and whose ancient gnosticism faith. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other extremists tend to view the peacock angel as the malevolent archangel Lucifer or Satan and label the Yazidis as 'devil worshippers'.
Under Islamic Law as observed by ISIL, Yazidis are officially given the choice to convert to Sunni Islam or die. They are not eligible for the jizya tax taken from "People of the Book" by ISIL that would allow them to continue observing their religion
Previous targeting of Yazidis (by Sunnis)
Ottoman era
In 1640, 40,000 Ottoman soldiers attacked Yazidi communities around Mount Sinjar, killing 3,060 Yazidis during battle, then raiding and setting fire to 300 Yazidi villages and murdering 1,000–2,000 Yazidis who had taken refuge in caves around the town of Sinjar;
in 1892, Sultan Abdulhamid II ordered a campaign of mass conscription or murder of Yazidis as part of his campaign to Islamize the Ottoman Empire, which also targeted Armenians and other Christians.
Post 2003 Iraq invasion era[edi
Main articles: 2007 Yazidi communities bombings and April 2007 Mosul massacre
In April 2007, a bus in Mosul was hijacked, Muslims and Christians were told to get off, the remaining 23 Yezidi passengers were driven to an eastern Mosul location and murdered.
In August 2007, two Yazidi communities, in Qahtaniyah (just south of Sinjar) and Jazeera (Siba Sheikh Khidir), near Mosul, were hit by a total of four vehicle bombs carrying two tons of explosives, leaving 336–500 dead and 1,500 injured. Perpetrators are unknown; the U.S. saw "al-Qaeda as the prime suspect" because of the scale and the co-ordinated nature of the bombings.[19]
Violence outbreak
Main articles: Northern Iraq offensive (August 2014) and Sinjar massacre
On 3 August 2014, ISIL militants attacked and took over Sinjar in northern Iraq, a Kurdish-controlled town that was predominantly inhabited by Yazidis, and the surrounding area.
Yazidis, and internet postings of ISIL have reported summary executions that day by ISIL militants, leading to 200,000 civilians fleeing Sinjar, of whom around 50,000 Yazidis escaping to the nearby Sinjar Mountains. They were trapped on Mount Sinjar, facing starvation and dehydration.
On 4 August 2014, Prince Tahseen Said, Emir of the Yazidi, issued a plea to world leaders calling for assistance on behalf of the Yazidi facing attack from ISIL.
Massacres, sexual slavery, forced exile
See also: Sinjar massacre and Northern Iraq offensive (August 2014)
On 3 August, ISIL killed the men from the al-Qahtaniya area, ten Yazidi families fleeing were attacked by ISIL; and ISIL shot 70 to 90 Yazidi men in Qiniyeh village.
On 4 August, ISIL fighters attacked Jabal Sinjar, killed 30 Yazidi men; 60 more Yazidi men were killed in the village of Hardan. On the same day, Yazidi community leaders stated that at least 200 Yazidis had been killed in Sinjar (see Sinjar massacre), and 60–70 near Ramadi Jabal. According to reports from surviving Yazidi, between 3 and 6 August, more than 50 Yazidi were killed near Dhola village, 100 in Khana Sor village, 250–300 in Hardan area, more than 200 on the road between Adnaniya and Jazeera, dozens near al-Shimal village, and on the road from Matu village to Jabal Sinjar.
On 10 August 2014, according to statements by the Iraqi government and others, ISIL militants buried alive an undefined number of Yazidi women and children in northern Iraq in an attack that killed 500 people, in what has been described as genocide.Those who escaped across the Tigris River into Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria on 10 August gave accounts of how they had seen individuals also attempting to flee who later died.
On 15 August, in the Yazidi village of Kojo, south of Sinjar, after the whole population had received the jihadist ultimatum to convert or be killed, over 80 men were killed. A witness recounted that the villagers were first converted under duress, but when the village elder refused to convert, all of the men were taken in trucks under the pretext of being led to Sinjar, and gunned down along the way. According to reports from survivors interviewed by OHCHR, on 15 August, the entire male population of the Yazidi village of Khocho, up to 400 men, were rounded up and shot by ISIL, and up to 1,000 women and children were abducted; on the same day, up to 200 Yazidi men were reportledy executed for refusing conversion in a Tal Afar prison.
Between 24 and 25 August, 14 elderly Yazidi men were executed by ISIL in the Sheikh Mand Shrine, and the Jidala village Yazidi shrine was blown up. On 1 September, the Yazidi villages of Kotan, Hareko and Kharag Shafrsky were set afire by ISIL, and on 9 September, Peshmerga fighters discovered a mass grave containing the bodies of 14 executed civilians, presumably Yazidis.
According to an OHRCR/UNAMI report on 26 September, by the end of August, 1,600–1,800 or more Yazidis who had been murdered, executed, or died from starvation. In early October, Matthew Barber, a scholar of Yazidi history at the University of Chicago, estimated between 3,000–5,000 Yazidi men had been killed by ISIS.
In October 2014, a UN report revealed that ISIL had massacred 5,000 Yazidi men in northern Iraq in August 2014.
In May 2015, the Yazidi Progress Party released a statement in which they said that 300 Yazidi captives were killed on 1 May by ISIL in the Tal Afar, Iraq.
Abduction of women; sexual slavery
On 3 August, ISIL abducted women and children from the al-Qahtaniya area, and 450–500 abducted Yazidi women and girls were taken to Tal Afar; hundreds more to Si Basha Khidri and then Ba'aj.
Yazidi Teen Who Escaped from ISIS Captivity Recounts Her Harrowing Experiences
On 4 August, ISIL fighters attacked Jabal Sinjar and abducted a number of women in the Yazidi village of Hardan, wives and daughters were abducted; other Yazidi women were abducted in other villages in the area. On 6 August, ISIL kidnapped 400 Yazidi women in Sinjar to sell them as sex slaves. According to reports from surviving Yazidi, between 3 and 6 August, 500 Yazidi women and children were abducted from Ba'aj and more than 200 from Tal Banat. According to a statement by the Iraqi government on 10 August 2014, hundreds of women were taken as slaves in northern Iraq. On 15 August, in the Yazidi village of Kojo, south of Sinjar, over 100 women were abducted, though according to some reports from survivors, up to 1,000 women and children of the Yazidi village of Khocho were abducted. According to an OHRCR/UNAMI report on 26 September, by the end of August up to 2,500 Yazidis, mostly women and children, had been abducted. In early October, Matthew Barber, a scholar of Yazidi history at the University of Chicago, compiled a list of names of 4,800 Yazidi women and children who had been captured (estimating the total number of abducted people to be possibly up to 7,000).
ISIS sex slave survivor: They beat me, raped me, treated me like an animal
The abducted Yazidi women were sold into slave markets with ISIL "using rape as a weapon of war" according to CNN, with the group having gynaecologists ready to examine the captives. Yazidi women were physically observed, including examinations to see if they were "virgins" or if they were pregnant. Women who were found to be pregnant were taken by the ISIL gynaecologists and forced abortions were performed on them.
Haleh Esfandiari from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars highlighted the abuse of local women by ISIL militants after they have captured an area. "They usually take the older women to a makeshift slave market and try to sell them. The younger girls … are raped or married off to fighters", she said, adding, "It's based on temporary marriages, and once these fighters have had sex with these young girls, they just pass them on to other fighters."
Speaking of Yazidi women captured by ISIS, Nazand Begikhani said in October, "These women have been treated like cattle… They have been subjected to physical and sexual violence, including systematic rape and sex slavery. They've been exposed in markets in Mosul and in Raqqa, Syria, carrying price tags." Yazidi girls in Iraq allegedly raped by ISIL fighters have committed suicide by jumping to their death from Mount Sinjar, as described in a witness statement.
A United Nations report issued on 2 October 2014, based on 500 interviews with witnesses, said that ISIL took 450–500 women and girls to Iraq's Nineveh region in August where "150 unmarried girls and women, predominantly from the Yazidi and Christian communities, were reportedly transported to Syria, either to be given to ISIL fighters as a reward or to be sold as sex slaves". Also in October 2014, a UN report revealed that ISIL had detained 5–7,000 Yazidi women as slaves or forced brides in northern Iraq in August 2014.
Defend International reached out to Yazidi refugees in Iraqi Kurdistan, providing humanitarian aid in December 2014
On 4 November 2014, Dr. Widad Akrawi of Defend International said that "the international community should define what's happening to the Yezidis as a crime against humanity, crime against cultural heritage of the region and ethnic cleansing," adding that Yazidi females are being "subjected to as systematic gender-based violence and the use of slavery and rape as a weapon of war." A month earlier, President of Defend International dedicated her 2014 International Pfeffer Peace Award to the Yazidis, Christians and all residents of Kobane because, she said, facts on the ground demonstrate that these peaceful people are not safe in their enclaves, partly because of their ethnic origin and/or religion and they are therefore in urgent need for immediate attention from the global community.[51][52][53][54][55][56][57] She asked the international community to make sure that the victims are not forgotten; they should be rescued, protected, fully assisted and compensated fairly.In November 2014 The New York Times reported on the accounts given by five who escaped ISIL of their captivity and abuse. On 3 November 2014, the horrifying "price list" for Yazidi and Christian females issued by ISIL surfaced online, and Dr. Widad Akrawi and her team were the first to verify the authenticity of the document. On 4 November 2014, a translated version of the document was shared by Dr. Akrawi.
On 4 August 2015, the same document was confirmed as genuine by a UN official.
In its digital magazine Dabiq, ISIL explicitly claimed religious justification for enslaving Yazidi women.
According to The Wall Street Journal, ISIL appeals to apocalyptic beliefs and claims "justification by a Hadith that they interpret as portraying the revival of slavery as a precursor to the end of the world". In late 2014, ISIL released a pamphlet on the treatment of female slaves. The New York Times said in August 2015 that "[t]he systematic rape of women and girls from the Yazidi religious minority has become deeply enmeshed in the organization and the radical theology of the Islamic State in the year since the group announced it was reviving slavery as an institution.
Flight into Sinjar Mountains and PKK's support
See also: Sinjar massacre § Refugee crisis in the Sinjar Mountains
The ISIL offensive in the Sinjar area of northern Iraq, 3–4 August, caused 30,000–50,000 Yazidis to flee into the Sinjar Mountains (Jabal Sinjar) fearing they would be killed by ISIL. They had been threatened with death if they refused conversion to Islam. A UN representative said that "a humanitarian tragedy is unfolding in Sinjar".
On 3 and 4 August, 14 or more Yazidi children and some elderly or people with disabilities died of hunger, dehydratation, and heat on Sinjar Mountains. By 6 August, according to reports from survivors, 200 Yazidi children while fleeing to Jabal Sinjar had died from thirst, starvation, heat and dehydratation.
Fifty thousand Yazidis, besieged by ISIL on Mount Sinjar, were able to escape after Kurdish PKK and Peshmerga attacks broke ISIL siege on the mountains. Majority of them were rescued by Kurdish PKK and YPG fighters. Multinational rescue operation involved dropping of supplies on the mountains and evacuation of some refugees by helicopters. During the rescue operation, on 12 August, an overloaded Iraqi Air Force helicopter crashed on Mount Sinjar, killing Iraqi Air Force Major General Majid Ahmed Saadi (the pilot) and injuring 20 people.
On 8 August, PKK was providing humanitarian aid and camps to more than 3,000 Yazidi refugees.
By 20 October, 2,000 Yazidis, mainly volunteer fighters, who had remained behind to protect the villages, but also civilians (700 families who had not yet escaped), were reported as still in the Sinjar area, and were forced by ISIL to abandon the last villages in their control, Dhoula and Bork, and retreat to the Sinjar Mountains.
Forced conversion to Islam
In an article by The Washington Post, it is stated that there is an estimated 7,000 Yazidis who had been forced to convert to "the Islamic State group's harsh interpretation of Islam".
Sunni collaboration
In several villages, local Sunnis were reported to have sided with ISIL, betraying Yazidis for slaughter once ISIL arrived, and even possibly colluding in advance with ISIL to lie to Yazidis, to lure them into staying put until the jihadis invaded; although there was also one report of Sunnis helping Yazidis to escape.
Classification as genocide
The persecution of the Yazidi people has been viewed as qualifying as genocide by groups such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in a March 2015 report. The organization cited the numerous atrocities such as forced religious conversion and sexual slavery as being parts of an overall malicious campaign.
On 14 March 2016, the United States House of Representatives voted unanimously 393-0 that violent actions performed against Yazidis, Christians, Shia and other groups by ISIL were acts of genocide. Days later on 17 March 2016, United States Secretary of State John Kerry declared that the violence initiated by ISIL against the Yazidis and others amounted to genocide.
Multiple individual human rights activists such as Nazand Begikhani and Dr. Widad Akrawi have also advocated for this view. The term itself first arose in 1944 as the creation of a Polish-Jewish lawyer named Raphael Lemkin, who himself defined the term as reflecting "a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves."
Releases of Yazidi captives
In January 2015, about 200 Yazidis were released by ISIL. Kurdish military officials believed they were released because they were a burden. On 8 April 2015, 216 Yazidis, with the majority being children and elderly, were released by ISIL after being held captive for about 8 months. Their release occurred following an offensive by US-led air assaults and pressure from Iraqi ground forces who were pushing northward and in the process of retaking Tikrit. According to General Hiwa Abdullah, a peshmerga commander in Kirkuk, those released were in poor health with signs of abuse and neglect visible.
In March 2016, Iraqi security forces managed to free a group of Yazidi women held hostages by ISIL in a special operation behind ISILs lines in Mosul, in a statement issued by the Iraqi defence ministry.
In March 2016, the Kurdistan Workers' Party managed to free 51 Yazidis held hostages by ISIL in a operation called 'Operation Vengeance for Martyrs of Shilo'
Three Kurdistan Workers' Party guerrillas died during the operation.
In April 2016, the Kurdistan Workers' Party with the Shengal Resistance Units managed to free another 53 Yazidis held hostages by ISIL.
International responses
Demonstration in Paris against persecution of Kurds and Yazidis.
Western military backlash
On 7 August 2014, U.S. President Obama ordered targeted airstrikes on IS militants and emergency air relief for the Yazidis. Airstrikes began on 8 August. (See American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–present)#Obama authorizes airstrikes.)
On 8 August 2014, the US asserted that the systematic destruction of the Yazidi people by the Islamic State was genocide.
President Barack Obama had authorized the attacks to protect Yazidis but also Americans and Iraqi minorities. President Obama gave an assurance that no troops would be deployed for combat. Along with the airstrikes of 9 August, the US airdropped 3,800 gallons of water and 16,128 MREs. Following these actions, the United Kingdom and France stated that they also would begin airdrops.[115]
On 10 August 2014, at approximately 2:15 a.m. ET, the US carried out five additional airstrikes on armed vehicles and a mortar position, enabling 20,000–30,000 Yazidi Iraqis to flee into Syria and later be rescued by Kurdish forces. The Kurdish forces then provided shelter for the Yazidis in Dohuk.
On 13 August 2014, fewer than 20 United States Special Forces troops stationed in Irbil along with British Special Air Service troops visited the area near Mount Sinjar to gather intelligence and plan the evacuation of approximately 30,000 Yazidis still trapped on Mount Sinjar. One hundred and twenty-nine additional US military personnel were deployed to Irbil to assess and provide a report to President Obama. The United States Central Command also reported that a seventh airdrop was conducted and that to date, 114,000 meals and more than 35,000 gallons of water had been airdropped to the displaced Yazidis in the area.
In a statement on 14 August 2014, The Pentagon said that the 20 US personnel who had visited the previous day had concluded that a rescue operation was probably unnecessary since there was less danger from exposure or dehydration and the Yazidis were no longer believed to be at risk of attack from ISIL. Estimates also stated that 4,000 to 5,000 people remained on the mountain, with nearly half of which being Yazidi herders who lived there before the siege.
Kurdish officials and Yazidi refugees stated that thousands of young, elderly, and disabled individuals on the mountain were still vulnerable, with the governor of Kurdistan's Dahuk province, Farhad Atruchi, saying that the assessment was "not correct" and that although people were suffering, "the international community is not moving".
International bodies
United Nations – On 13 August 2014, the United Nations declared the Yazidi crisis a highest-level "Level 3 Emergency", saying that the declaration "will facilitate mobilization of additional resources in goods, funds and assets to ensure a more effective response to the humanitarian needs of populations affected by forced displacements". On 19 March 2015, a United Nations panel concluded that ISIL "may have committed" genocide against the Yazidis with an investigation head, Suki Nagra, stating that the attacks on the Yazidis "were not just spontaneous or happened out of the blue, they were clearly orchestrated".
Arab League – On 11 August 2014, the Arab League accused ISIL of committing crimes against humanity by persecuting the Yazidis.
It's all clear… ISIL invades your sphere… Yet no one imagines your fear… But don't worry… Tausi Melek is here… Restoring Lives near…
Dr. Widad Akrawi of Defend International describing the plight of the Yazidis to raise awareness of their struggle to avoid another genocide in war-torn Iraq, September 2014.
Defend International – On 6 September 2014, Defend International launched a worldwide campaign entitled "Save The Yazidis: The World Has To Act Now" to raise awareness about the tragedy of the Yazidis in Sinjar; coordinate activities related to intensifying efforts aimed at rescuing Yazidi and Christian women and girls captured by ISIL; provide a platform for discussion and the exchange of information on matters and activities relevant to securing the fundamental rights of the Yazidis, no matter where they reside; and building a bridge between potential partners and communities whose work is relevant to the campaign, including individuals, groups, communities, and organizations active in the areas of women's and girls' rights, inter alia, as well as actors involved in ending modern-day slavery and violence against women and girls.
Turkish aid
Thousands of Yazidis have taken refuge in neighboring Turkey, where they are being sheltered in refugee camps in the city of Silopi.The Turkish Disaster Relief Agency (AFAD) has begun preparations to set up camps for receiving 6,000 refugees from Iraq.The number of Yazidi refugees in Turkey has reached 14 thousand by August 30.
Turkey has also airdropped humanitarian aid to Yazidi refugees within Iraq. However, Kurdish authorities didn't confirm Turkey's humanitarian aid.
Tensions and background
See also: 2007 Mosul massacre
The 2007 Yazidi communities bombings occurred at around 7:20 pm local time on August 14, 2007, when four co-ordinated suicide bomb attacks detonated in the Yazidi towns of Kahtaniya and Jazeera (Siba Sheikh Khidir), near Mosul. Iraqi Red Crescent's estimates say the bombs killed 796 and wounded 1,562 people, making this the Iraq War's most deadly car bomb attack during the period of major American combat operations. It was also the second deadliest act of terrorism in history, following only behind the September 11 attacks in the United States.
For several months leading up the attack, tensions had been building up in the area, particularly between Yazidis and Sunni Muslims (Muslims including Arabs and Kurds). Some Yazidis living in the area received threatening letters calling them "infidels". Leaflets were also distributed denouncing Yazidis as "anti-Islamic" and warning them that an attack was imminent.
The attack might be connected to an incident wherein Du'a Khalil Aswad, a Yazidi teenage woman, was stoned to death. Aswad was believed to have wanted to convert in order to marry a Sunni.Two weeks later, after a video of the stoning appeared on the Internet, Sunni gunmen[145] stopped minibuses filled with Yazidis; 23 Yazidi men were forced from a bus and shot dead.
The Sinjar area which has a mixed population of Kurds, Turkmen and Arabs was scheduled to vote in a plebiscite on accession to the Kurdish region in December 2007. This caused hostility among the neighbouring Arab communities. A force of 600 Kurdish Peshmerga was subsequently deployed in the area, and ditches were dug around Yazidi villages to prevent further attacks.
The blasts targeted a religious minority, the Yazidi. The co-ordinated bombings involved a fuel tanker and three cars. An Iraqi interior ministry spokesman said that two tons of explosives were used in the blasts, which crumbled buildings, trapping entire families beneath mud bricks and other wreckage as entire neighborhoods were flattened. Rescuers dug underneath the destroyed buildings by hand to search for remaining survivors.
"Hospitals here are running out of medicine. The pharmacies are empty. We need food, medicine and water otherwise there will be an even greater catastrophe," said Abdul-Rahim al-Shimari, mayor of the Baaj district, which includes the devastated villages.
The attacks carry Al-Qaeda's signature of multiple simultaneous attacks. No group claimed responsibility for the attack. "We're looking at Al-Qaeda as the prime suspect," said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Garver, a United States military spokesman. The group is reported to have distributed leaflets denouncing Yazidis as "anti-Islamic". Others, including Iraq's President, Jalal Talabani, blamed the bombings on "Iraqi Sunni Muslim Arab insurgents" seeking to undercut Premier Maliki's conclave to end political deadlock among the country's leaders.
On September 3, 2007, the U.S. military reportedly killed the mastermind of the bombings, Abu Mohammed al-Afri.
← 26th April – Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles 27th April – Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles →
1 thought on "Yazidis Genocide – Massacres, Sexual Slavery & Forced Exile"
belfastchildis says:
Reblogged this on Belfast Child.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hes…


Castlewood Townhouses and Garden Apartments are beautiful two-bedroom rentals with large floor plans and many amenities. Located one mile from I-526 and Citadel Mall, our affordable, conveniently located spaces are the best deal in West Ashley.
We are privately owned and operated with more than 20 years experience. We are a personable, reliable management company and we provide our tenants with easy, affordable living. Some of the great aspects of choosing Castlewood include: water, sewer and trash service included in rent, free basic cable in every unit, fitness center, two adult swimming pools, one kiddie pool and a heated Jacuzzi.
If you are a looking for a clean, relaxing and safe apartment or townhome, consider Castlewood. You'll quickly understand why we're the BEST deal in West Ashley!


Full year course that allows students to rotate through and experience 4 of the 5 courses listed below.
Each "mini" course is 9 weeks in length.
This course focuses on establishing basic skills in graphic communication, construction, communication using problem solving, life management, and academic skills.
This course is a study of various media and techniques used in art today. Two-dimensional art is taught with an emphasis on creativity and an understanding of processes. Students may enter their artwork in the school's spring exhibit.
This course introduces students to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) experiences in a project-based environment and connects these experiences to the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards for mathematics. Topics include the use of computers in mathematical problem solving, technical writing and drawing, applications of fluid power, coordinate geometry, data analysis and statistics.
This course is an introduction to Family and Consumer Science. This class introduces kitchen safety, sanitation, understanding recipes, and basic cooking methods. Other areas of study may include childcare, career introductions, hand-sewing techniques and cooperative learning.
This course focuses on establishing basic computer skills. Computer terminology and keyboarding skills are stressed. Also included are units on word processing, drawing, painting, and hypermedia. This is a hands-on class where students are involved in entering and editing data, saving, and printing their work.
This course is an introductory study of various aspects of theatre. Major topics will include acting, movement, stage vocabulary, and oral speaking. Units of study will include monologues, skit writing, improvisation, theatre design, one-act-plays, and creative dramatics.
All music performance courses have attendance requirements for performance events.
This course is a study of beginning and intermediate music fundamentals: sight-reading skills with emphasis on solfége, good intonation, sound production, and performance skills. The intent of this course is to encourage and achieve competency in areas of unison to three-part choral singing. The chorus also serves as a school representative at various community, district and statewide events.
This course is a study of beginning and intermediate music fundamentals: sight-reading skills with emphasis on solfége, good intonation, sound production, and performance skills. The intent of this course is to achieve competency in areas of unison to three-part singing. Special attention is given to understanding and development of the boys' changing voices. The chorus also serves as a school representative at various community, district and statewide events.
topics covered in this class will be Band Method II and traditional and contemporary band music. Other features of this course are participation in school assembly programs and evening concerts. This is for seventh grade students who have played their band instruments for more than one year.
This string ensemble covers fundamental and intermediate orchestra skills including tuning, vibrato, scales, third and second positions. Concerts will include classical, fiddling, and pop music.


View our slideshow from the 2017 Sandhills Purple Heart Dinner!
This year's dinner is the third of its kind in Cumberland County. At last year's dinner, it was the first time that many of our veterans were publicly honored for their sacrifice and service. According to the Fort Bragg chapter of the military Order of the Purple Heart, there are at least 476 Purple Heart recipients living in and around the Fayetteville and Fort Bragg area. The goal of the Sandhills Purple Heart Committee is to honor as many Purple Heart recipients as possible while encouraging the public to attend and show their gratitude and support. Recognition will go to Purple Heart recipients, families of deceased Purple Heart recipients, Gold Star Mothers, and families of those Killed in Action. There will also be special recognition of WWII Veterans.
Volunteers make the Purple Heart Dinner happen. Anyone wishing to volunteer can contact Deborah O'Neil.
All contributions will be used solely for the event which will be orchestrated by an all volunteer staff. Donations are tax deductible and sponsors will receive recognition prior to and during the event.


text:
CHICKEN COUP RECORDS
MAMA RECORDS
WELL TEMPERED PRODUCTIONS
Grammy Finalists & Winners
OrchestraPro
Small Combo Jazz
Spoken Word/Narration
Strings and Harp
Apparel and other merchandise
► Spring Ahead
► The Send-Off
Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra
► Inspiration Point
New West Guitar Group
Jonathan Shames
Jonathan Shames, pianist and conductor, joined the University of Michigan School of Music in autumn 2001 as Associate Director of Orchestras and Assistant Professor of Music-Conducting in the of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Artistic Director Department of Conducting. Shames directs both the University Philharmonia and the Contemporary Directions Ensemble. From 1994 to 2001, Shames was Music Director and Conductor of its Marrowstone Music Festival. He is currently the Music Director and Conductor of the Olympia Symphony Orchestra in Olympia, Washington.
Together with his wife, pianist Stephanie Leon Shames, he founded and served as Artistic Director of The Boston Players, a chamber music ensemble which performed from 1992 to 1997. Mr. Shames' work as musical assistant to Sarah Caldwell of the Opera Company of Boston (at age 19) led to his first conducting opportunities, when Ms. Caldwell invited him to lead performances by the company of Puccini's Girl of the Golden West and Mozart's Don Giovanni. It was in performances of the latter work that Mr. Shames made his Boston conducting debut in 1984, leading from the harpsichord. Since that time, he has frequently been associated with the company, leading several tours and Boston performances. Mr. Shames appears regularly as both conductor and pianist with The Boston Players, a chamber-music group he formed in 1992. In 1994, Mr. Shames was invited by Seiji Ozawa to become a Conducting Fellow of the Tanglewood Music Institute. Shames has conducted the Louisiana Philharmonic and Richmond Symphony, and serves frequently as cover conductor for the Seattle Symphony. In 2002 he conducted the Wyoming Symphony.
Mr. Shames' conducting teachers include Gustav Meier, Gerard Schwarz and Samuel Jones. As a pianist, Mr. Shames has performed in the Soviet Union, South Korea, and Europe, as well as across the U.S., since winning a finalist-diploma in the 1982 Moscow International Tchaikovsky Competition. In 1990 and 1991, he toured Russia as part of Sarah Caldwell's "Making Music Together" Festival, as well as the first and second St. Petersburg Palaces International Chamber Music Festival. He has recorded with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra and Cologne Radio Symphony, toured with the Radio and Television Orchestra of Belgrade, and appeared as soloist with the Seoul Sinfonietta, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Seattle, and Boston Pops Orchestras among others. In recent seasons, in addition to the Russian festivals, Mr. Shames has performed at the Colmar (France) Festival, the Kajaani Festival in Finland, Ravinia, and the Seattle International Music Festival. During the past season he performed with the Seattle, Chattanooga and Tacoma Symphony Orchestras. Shames holds a BA in Philosophy from Yale University. He earned his MM and DMA in piano performance from the University of Michigan in 1986, studying with Theodore Lettvin and Leon Fleisher. He has taught at Cornell University, SUNY-Binghamton, Rutgers, the Chautauqua Institute, Oberlin Conservatory, and Interlochen.
Artist Releases
You Might Enjoy
Pilgrimage – Dez Cordas
Breath in a Ram's Horn – composer Daniel Asia
Ellington – Ted Howe Trio
Into the Mist – Fred Forney
Jazz Standards Vol 3 – Roger Kellaway Trio
Eastman Brass Quintet
Eric Ewazen
John Manning
American Brass Quintet
The Brass Herald on Rex Richardson…
Michika Fukumori's new SOLO PIANO recording is welcomed by reviewers…!
New Jazz Standards Vol 3 w/ Roger Kellaway getting great reviews!
JAZZIZ: Rising-star pianists bring creativity and individuality to crowded field…
Hyeseon Hong Jazz Orchestra! w/ Ingrid Jensen & Rich Perry…13 Reviews Are In!
Summit Records, Inc
sales@summitrecords.com
© Summit Records, Inc, All Rights Reserved | Site by Jimmy Adams Media


We're all personal brands. Our agendas may differ, but we seek the same things: recognition, respect, influence and success. Personal branding is no trend. It's social media, publishing, marketing, sales, work, play, passion and everything you read about all rolled into one.
With that in mind, I submit to you personal branding is something you need to understand. It's something you need to develop deliberately — even if what you've been doing and saying to this day has been largely accidental.
I've done a lot of reading and research on the subject and found when I get in conversations about personal branding, Michael Hyatt's name comes up a lot. A former publishing executive, Michael shares his wisdom via a blog, podcasts, video, books, information products and speaking.
I've gathered some great tips for getting started with personal branding. The first five come from a presentation I heard Michael deliver.
The focus of your blog — and all your content — must be your readers. What are their needs? What are their pains? You could guess, but you'll run the risk of being wrong. An ideal way to remove the guesswork is to conduct a survey. Ask a few specific questions to uncover demographic and psychographic information.
As a result of your survey, you'll be able to profile your audience and work toward developing more focused content.
What can you offer your audience? Do you offer resources to help people work smarter? Do you offer leadership insights? These are just a couple of examples. Create a succinct and simple answer and you have your value proposition. You may have to experiment with your value proposition and revise it from time to time. A clear value proposition will serve as framework all of your efforts.
Remind yourself of the level of noise in media today and recognize how critical it is to make a strong impression quickly. A great way to address this challenge is to distill your value proposition into a slogan. At my site, I write, "Turn on the power of online marketing." How can you summarize your brand promise in a concise slogan?
Presenting a great photo of yourself helps establish credibility and build trust. It also helps you connect via social media. Get a great headshot that captures the real, authentic you. Invest in a professional photo shoot or if you prefer not to part with the money, hit up a friend with a quality camera and a command of portrait photography. After reviewing the photos, pick one headshot to use on your website and across all your social media networks.
Any memorable brand, your personal brand included, should look consistent. Using a variety of logos, colors, and fonts will confuse your audience. Develop a look for your personal brand with a professionally designed logo, a pleasing color palette, and a limited menu of fonts. Apply the standards you create to everything — your website, business cards, advertising, etc.
A goal in the development of your personal brand should be building a tribe — that is, a growing community of dedicated fans. You have to discover how to express yourself as the unique individual you are. This isn't merely a one-off task like getting a nice looking head shot. It's a process. Don't try to become the writer version of yourself. Just be yourself. Write like you speak — when you're speaking to ONE person. Make it someone you speak to often and feel 100% confident about expressing yourself to.
Personal branding is largely online marketing. The most valuable asset an online marketer could ever hope to have is an email list — people who have raised their hands and declared, "market to me," or perhaps, "keep me in the loop." Develop a compelling offer such as an eBook or webinar you're willing to give away and create a landing page where you're able to capture the email addresses of your readers.
The age of the marketer's monologue is dead and gone. All of the people behind great personal brands are great conversationalists. They listen and respond.
Only foolish old marketing die-hards believe advertisers talk and consumers listen. Encourage your customers to chime in via onsite polls, surveys, blog comments, forums, reviews, chat, and of course, social media. On your path to becoming a revered personal brand, your goal should be to ignite meaningful, brand-adjacent conversations in your community.
There are a variety of ways you'll build your influence as you build your personal brand. Accelerate your influence by leveraging the authority of other authorities.
Create "roundup" content that recognizes authoritative leaders and their work. Call on experts to contribute to your content. Create communities of your own on LinkedIn, Google+ and other social media. Ask people you know to introduce you to people they know (a.k.a. networking) and look for partnership opportunities.
Publish lists, for example, and books or blogs you've read. Ask for guest post opportunities. Share the content of influencers you admire.
Creating content to showcase your expertise must be at the core of your personal branding efforts. Focus on sharing your knowledge. At the same time, don't fear having a strong point of view. Take a stand. You might not appeal to everyone, but that's not the goal. You want to ignite the passion in the right people. Use a variety of media types to accommodate the different preferences of your target market such as a blog, podcasts, webinars, presentations, eBooks, and videos.
Essentially, building your brand is about making new friends. What do friends do? They make themselves available to you and give you the best of what they've got. Make yourself available to your peers and organizations. Give thanks to everyone for kind acts of any kind. Ask the people you meet what you can do to help.
The development of your personal brand, and ultimately, your ability to capitalize on it is derived from the connections you make. Make networking part of your daily routine and seek to expand it continuously. Follow up with new connections you make promptly, stay in touch, and always follow-through on your promises.
The benefits of creating a powerful personal brand are many. An effective personal brand wields influence. Understand how to develop a personal brand and you're likely to enjoy a steady stream of ideal clients, rewarding partnerships, leadership opportunities, greater credibility, and higher perceived value.
Have you started creating your personal brand? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.
Barry Feldman operates Feldman Creative and provides clients content marketing strategies that rock and creative that rolls. Barry authors "Content Marketing Minds" here at Social Media Today and has recently been named a Top 40 Digital Strategist by Online Marketing Institute and one of 25 Social Media Marketing Experts You Need to Know by LinkedIn. Barry recently released a comprehensive strategic workbook "The Planner for Growing Your Business with Effective Online Marketing." If you would like a piece of his mind, visit Feldman Creative and his blog, The Point.


India plans to deport the seven Rohingya illegals who entered via Assam to Myanmar. But two United Nations (UN) agencies have urged the Indian government to refrain from doing anything that would endanger the lives of the deportees as the current conditions in Rakhine State in Myanmar are not conducive for safe, dignified and sustainable return.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the government that sending the Rohingya refugees back to an unsafe situation in Myanmar would violate UN principles on refoulement.
Also, Shirin Sharmeen Chaudhury, Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh, asked countries to exercise caution and ensure the safety of the deportees before sending them to Myanmar's Rakhine state.


LA Based concierge dog training and care services.
The services Nicole provides include puppy training, obedience training, trick training, production work training, and private in home boarding. Dog training is a commitment but together we can help you have the dogs of your dreams and ultimately, develop a new shared language with your dog that will allow you to better communicate together and become an integral part of your family.
Nicole is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), APDT member, American Kennel Club CGC-evaluator. Training services are available at the clients home.
Services include 1-hour sessions for puppy training, obedience training, trick training, and production training. Training sessions are best done in the home where the pet resides so Nicole can take into accountant the home environment so the training can be most beneficial for you. After our first visit, Nicole will recommend a training plan of homework to meet your dog's behavior goals, and share options for achieving success.
Training sessions start at $150/session, initial consult is $200.
For families that need dog boarding while traveling, in-home pet care is available with Nicole at a limit of one families pet(s) at a time.
Only one families pet(s) are taken at a time to provide a one-on-one loving home experience with Nicole and her family. Nicole resides in Altadena, CA, where the pet(s) will have full access to the house, with plenty of room to run supervised in the fully fenced yard and many outdoor activities nearby from walking and sniffing the local area and hiking our local quiet trails.
Nicole resides in Altadena, CA, where the pet(s) will have full access to the house, with plenty of room to run supervised in the fully fenced yard and many outdoor activities nearby from walking and sniffing the local area and hiking our local quiet trails.
Dog(s) are never taken to a dog park or interact with pets Nicole is not familiar with for the safety of your pet.
Per the one family at a time limit holidays do book up and it's best to book in advance.
Boarding rates start at $150/night, puppies, senior pets, and board and train may have additional costs.
A NDA can be signed upon request as your family's confidence is taken very seriously.
If you are in the Los Angeles county area and are interested in dog training or overnight care please send a message to maggieandnicole@gmail.com or fill out the form below with a description of your pet(s), any special needs, where you are located, and services you are interested in.
Servicing areas: Altadena, Bel Air, Beverly Glen, Beverly Hills, Beverly Park, Burbank, Cheviot Hills, Glendale, Hollywood Hills, La Cañada Flintridge, Pacific Palisades, West Hollywood, West Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Marino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City. For questions on other locations contact Nicole.


With spring around the corner, it's time for another update of what's new in your Shelf. Throughout March we've been working on ways to broaden how you use Shelf in your organization. In addition to working on Enterprise SSO with SAML support, we've added a new Gem type and placed a strong focus on the overall usability and findability of your content.


Newborn 2-in-1 Hair & Body Wash for tender and mild washing care High moisture formula nourishes and conditions delicate skin and hair. Gently cleans hair and body without removing natural moisture from skin. Soap-free and tearless. 16oz.


BEIJING - China says it has sent its Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 advanced fighter jets for training under "real combat" conditions in the South China Sea, a potential show of force against the controversial presence of the United States military in the disputed region.
The statement further said that the training was expected to boost pilots' capabilities "under long-distance or high-sea conditions," but did not indicate the exact number of fighter jets that took part in the exercise.
The jets are dubbed in China "the killer in the sky" for being highly-maneuverable and equipped with phased array radar and steerable thrusters.
China and Russia inked a deal for the shipment of 24 Su-35 aircraft for a sum of two billion dollars in November 2015. The first batch, comprising of four jets, was reportedly delivered in late 2016 while another 10 aircraft were handed over in late 2017. The remaining 10 warplanes are reportedly to be delivered in 2018.
According to Xu Guangyu, a retired PLA general and senior adviser at the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, the air force drill was launched in response to "provocation by the US," an apparent reference to an incident in which US Navy missile destroyer USS Hopper came too close to a South China Sea island — disputed between China and the Philippines — on January 17.
China is involved in territorial disputes in the South China Sea, where several countries, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Philippines, have overlapping claims. The US, which is an extra-regional country, has been taking the side of China's rival claimants in the regional disputes.
Washington has so far sent several of its warships to the South China Sea to protect what it calls "freedom of navigation" there, but Beijing often accuses Washington of interfering in regional issues and deliberately stirring up tensions.


Now Listening : What Does a Global Women's Movement Look Like?
What Does a Global Women's Movement Look Like?
After seeing the mass mobilization of women across the world during the Women's March, an important question arises: What does a global women's movement look like? In this episode of The Bridge, African women's rights leaders Joy Phumaphi and Sisonke Msimang discuss their experiences working towards equality for women globally, and the future of the movement. This thought-provoking conversation is hosted by Peggy Clark, vice president of policy programs at the Aspen Institute and a leader in the global women's movement.
Women of different generations and geographies desperately need one another to share wisdom, ideas, and goals to move women forward and to break the glass ceiling. The Bridge podcast, a project of Aspen Global Health and Development, brings wise women – and a few good men – of different generations together into conversations about what matters most. The Bridge slows things down, and puts two people with deep knowledge and compassion together for important conversations. Listen to more episodes here.


The Captain's chosen Charity for 2011/12 was the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance which is entirely funded by donations, receiving nothing from the Government or Lottery. There have been numerous charity events and collections held both in the golfing and social calendar since Apri 2011through to the end of March 2012.
The final amount raised for the WNAA as £10,560.
A big thank you to everyone who has so generously donated towards such a worthwhile cause as the Captain's Charity, WNAA..
From the 2011 Captains' - Ron Edmondson, Kully Wain, Peter Jamieson and Jack Crossley.


You'll then click on the type of Experience you want to create: Scratch-It, Zip-It, Peel-It, Slide-It, Pull-It, Push-it, Tear-it, Spin-it or Smash-it.
A dialogue box will appear where you can name your Experience.
The first piece of the Experience Page is the layout, where you can upload a logo and background image.
Note: The header and background are only visible if you are using the Zembula interstitial page. If you are embedding on your website, you will not need to use this feature.
You have the option of uploading your logo and attaching a URL to it. Anyone who clicks on the logo of your experience page will be redirected to this URL. You also have the option to set the color and transparency of your header.
If you desire a customized background , you can upload a 1400px by 900px image, or select a custom color.
The Cover Image will be the first image users see when landing on your Experience page.
Simply upload a 900x900px image by dragging and dropping it into the area indicated or clicking the "+" sign and navigating to it.
You have the option to upload a custom expiration image for use if you decide to expire your experience. You can learn more about custom expiration images here.
Each experience type offers its own hint customizations. You can customize color, transparency and placement of the hints for all experience types.
The Reveal image tab is where you will import your reveal image – what your audience will see after interacting with the cover image. Again, upload a 900x900px image to this area.
Underneath the Reveal Image is the Settings Tab. This is where you will control the functionality of your experience's call to action (CTA). You have the option to turn the CTA button on or off, depending on if you want your viewer to take action after interacting or not.
This is where you will decide what you want to have happen once the viewer finishes interacting. The selection you make in Step 1 determines the choices for the settings that follow.
When you select Just Button, the options for Step 2 will be either Destination URL, which will send your user to a specified page that you input into the field below or Print Deal, which will open up a print window to be able to print the deal out.
When you select Redeem Code, again the options for Step 2 will be either Destination URL, or Print Deal.
You will set the Redeem Code in the space provided under Step 3, and you can customize the color and font. For more information about how to set up dynamic redeem codes, click here.
If you want to use your experience to collect email addresses, you would select Acquisition (form).
The two options available are to submit the form once the CTA is clicked, or, if you have access to a developer, you can customize the button function by selecting Advanced. Here is some additional information about advanced customizations.
First, you'll want to select the name of the ESP you have your form set up with.
Next, you'll see a list of all connected accounts associated with your ESP integration. Select the one that you want to send your collected emails to.
Then, you'll want to specify the list where you want to collect your emails within your ESP.
More about email acquisition forms and integrations can be found here.
After you've determined the behavior of your CTA button, then you can customize it with an optional headline. You can also customize the font, text color, button color, and border radius on the button itself.
You have the option to add in terms and conditions pertinent to the deal you are offering. You can decide to have them appear in a modal window, or link to an external page.
At the top of the experience editor, you have a menu bar with several different controls: the name of your experience, the type of experience, the expiration date and expiration time. You also have the option to choose a static or animated hint for your experience. You will also notice a blue "publish" button which you will click when you are ready to publish.
Then, paste the URL into a new browser window and voila! Your Experience Page is ready to view.
You can edit your experience any time after it is published, and those changes will be updated automatically wherever your experience is shared.


text:
NEAR@Home Toolkit: A Guided Process to Talk About Trauma and Resilience in Home Visiting
In the last three decades, scientific research has demonstrated how deeply adversity in childhood becomes embedded into biology, behavior, and risk, and how these can be passed on to future generations. This body of science — Neuroscience, Epigenetics, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), and Resilience research, or NEAR — is one of the largest public health discoveries of our time.
Home visitors knowledgeable about the NEAR sciences and research are interested in bringing this information to families but worry about causing harm. The NEAR@Home toolkit addresses these concerns and provides strategies for engaging parents in discussing NEAR sciences and using the ACEs questionnaire in a safe, respectful and effective way for both home visitor and family.
Home visitors are uniquely positioned to help families mitigate the effects of past, present, and future adversity through supporting protective, responsive parenting and safe attachment relationships. The NEAR@Home process gives parents choice, offering information, assuring safety, being respectful, allowing time and space for reflection, and by always closing with hope and resilience.
The NEAR@Home toolkit was created, tested, and revised by home visitors, mental health providers, and other experts in the field of NEAR and home visiting in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The NEAR@Home toolkit is designed as a training manual with guided processes to help you learn and practice language and strategies to safely and effectively talk about the trauma of ACEs. We emphasize safety and reflective support for the home visitor as a critical element in this process.
The NEAR @Home toolkit was developed as a self-study process and is being shared without cost because we believe that all home visitors deserve to have access to this guidance. Many home visitors discovered that while self-study of the NEAR@Home toolkit was useful, they preferred a supported learning experience and have informed the development of NEAR@Home Facilitated Learning. Learning how to be safe, respectful, and effective while talking about the NEAR sciences with parents is a complex process that requires and deserves time and support.
The NEAR@Home Facilitated Learning process is very different from most training programs. Thinking about, talking about childhood trauma stirs feelings in all of us, whether ACEs are part of our life story or not. Our learning process is guided by Facilitators who are relationship focused, trauma sensitive, and fluent in infant mental health concepts and processes. The Facilitators model self-regulation, co-regulation, spacious listening, and reflective processes to walk with home visitors and supervisors through learning how to do a NEAR home visit. Implementation Science guides the structure of the learning process from a mutual exploration of fit and feasibility to follow up reflective consultation to support home visitors as they integrate these new skills.


I have a IIS running and a MySQL both working already.
I also managed to install a phpmyadmin installation on this configuration.
now I received a folder that contains a phpmyfaq strukture of a different installation.
what do I have to do to put the folders I got into a running phpmyfaq intallation? and maybe someone knows what I am doing wrong?
looks like you used the wrong MySQL password?


text:
Q: string.format on url in vb.net I am trying to use string.format on a url to pass several values into the string.  It's probably a simple error but I cannot get the following code to work.  It doesn't even build the string.  Any ideas?
Thanks!
Public Sub getStockData()
    Dim client As New WebClient()
    Dim url As String
    Dim ticker As String = "MSFT"
    Dim lastPrice As String = "l1"
    Dim volume As String = "v0"
    Dim marketCap As String = "j1"
    Dim divYield As String = "x"
    Dim peRatio As String = "r"
    Dim eps As String = "e"

    url = String.Format("http://finance.yahoo.com/d/quotes.csv?s={0}&f={1}{2}{3}{4}{5}{6}", ticker, lastPrice, marketCap, divYield, peRatio, eps)
    Dim results As String = client.DownloadString(url)
    messagebox.show(results)
End Sub

A: You have 7 values you want to insert (format items {0} thru {6}) but only supply six of them:
url = String.Format(
    "http://finance.yahoo.com/d/quotes.csv?s={0}&f={1}{2}{3}{4}{5}{6}",
    ticker, lastPrice, marketCap, divYield, peRatio, eps)

the variable named "volume" is not being used ...
EDIT: Using the official MS term "format items" as pointed out by @SpectralGhost!


Due to disagreements with the company that conducted this investigation, I have taken down this post as I do not wish to maintain any associations with them.
So cool! Being contacted by your own character: that's a story in of itself.
I figure in another generation, spirits will use txtspk on Ouija boards.
Pretty cool, making contact with Grey like that, although you didn't need an Ouija board. "Many of the people … bring spirits in with them," and it sounds like you were one of them!
Helen – I've tried looking Grey up and I can't find any records of him, though that's hardly surprising. He's a lovely character so I guess I was as pleased as I was freaked out when he said hello.
Jen – But is he my character?! I don't know any more!
FAR – I've had an illiterate person come through before but I will be genuinely amazed the first time I get a "lmao" or "brb".
Oh, wow! This is so fascinating. I totally feel that fictional characters can take on a kind of half life, especially once they cross over into the realms of a shared subconsciousness.


text:
/**
 * Global document layout and style
 */

:global html {
  font-family: Catamaran, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
  font-size: 15px;  /* base size for tachyons em's */
}
:global .body {
  background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #999, #777);
  background-attachment: fixed;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
}
:global .anchor {  /* see: components/Anchor */
  display: block;
  height: 4rem;
  margin-top: -4rem;  /* (tachyons h3) */
  visibility: hidden;
  z-index: -9999;
}

:global a[href*="://"]::after,
:global a[href$=".doc"]::after,
:global a[href$=".docx"]::after,
:global a[href$=".pdf"]::after,
:global a[href$=".txt"]::after,
:global a[href*="youtu.be"]::after,
:global a[href*="youtube.com"]::after {
  content: ' ';
  display: inline-block;
  left: 0.333rem;
  margin-right: 0.555rem;
  position: relative;
  top: 0.05rem;
}
:global a[href*="://"]::after {
  background-image: url('./images/link.svg');
  background-size: 11px 11px;
  height: 11px;
  width: 11px;
}
:global a[href$=".doc"]::after,
:global a[href$=".docx"]::after {
  background-image: url('./images/word.svg');
  background-size: 14px 13px;
  height: 13px;
  width: 14px;
}
:global a[href$=".pdf"]::after {
  background-image: url('./images/pdf.svg');
  background-size: 14px 13px;
  height: 13px;
  width: 14px;
}
:global a[href$=".txt"]::after {
  background-image: url('./images/text.svg');
  background-size: 14px 13px;
  height: 13px;
  width: 14px;
}
:global a[href*="youtu.be"]::after,
:global a[href*="youtube.com"]::after {
  background-image: url('./images/play.svg');
  background-size: 15px 15px;
  height: 13px;
  width: 15px;
}

/**
 * Layout.jsx
 */

.layout {
  composes: f4 from 'tachyons';
  composes: f5-ns from 'tachyons';
  composes: fw4 from 'tachyons';
  composes: mb4 from 'tachyons';
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


getshirts is printing with the direct-to-garment technique!
We're printing the ink directly on the textiles. Because there are no color limitations, this method is suitable for motifs with literally every color you like. And it is also very durable!
High resolution even on dark textiles.
Whether graphics, photo or text, we are printing every detail according to your wishes.
From individuals to bulk production, always fair price - for customers and reseller. Try us!


I was diagnosed with Oesophageal cancer in June 2009. I had carried the symptoms for 15 months before visiting my GP. I was unable to swallow, lost weight; I thought it was because of my dieting. I went to the GP in March 2009 thinking I had a hiatus hernia, the GP may have been influenced by my remarks, as I was referred for an endoscopy, but not on a '2-week wait' which would have been the case if cancer was suspected.
Nervously I asked, "what are we talking about?" The doctor looked straight at me, eyes focused and said: "That which people don't want to talk about". I knew instantly what he meant. Naturally, my first question was, "How long have I got doc?" which was a bit premature as further tests would need to be carried out. I was worried, I didn't know how to break it to my wife. You see in the years prior to me getting cancer we had several family members die from breast cancer, I didn't want to put my wife through it all again.
On 22nd June it was confirmed that I had Oesophageal cancer. For anyone who does not know what that is it's a type of cancer affecting the gullet – the long tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach.
As with most people my survival instinct came forth. I repeatedly told myself, "I've beaten the cancer". You see half the battle for me was mental. I thought I would go green to beat it. I changed my diet, cutting out red meat, dairy, tea and coffee. I started to google 'cancer', which was a big mistake and a waste of time. I did find out there was an 8% survival rate. Everything else I found was either nonsense or contradicting.
Back and forth from the hospitals, I went to have tests and by the end of July, they had located a 35-45cm tumour. I remember the moment I was told it felt empty and confusing but not quite empty as the feeling of something growing inside of me felt a bit peculiar.
In August, I started my chemo. Three cycles of chemotherapy of three weeks each. I was on what I called the 'poison tablet's' and while you expect all the symptoms of chemo - losing weight, hair falling out, including eyelashes, no one warned me that your eyelashes block out the sun or that I could get 60 minutes of hiccups several times a day.
But, throughout the whole process, I continued to tell myself "I've beaten cancer".
Six weeks after Chemotherapy I was ready for my Left Thoracoabdominal Oesophagogastrectomy operation. I was slightly nervous, it didn't help that the surgeon looked so young. For assurance, I asked him if he'd done this before and if he was any good at it. To my relief, he said he had.
So, on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11.00am, my cancer armistice started. The Porters rolled up and I underwent a six-hour operation, which left me with a 63cm scar that started at the front of my stomach went around the side and ended at the spine.
I had a CT scan and on the 28th May 2010, and 9 months after I was diagnosed with Oesophageal cancer, I was finally given the all clear. Obviously, it was great hearing those little words, but I was so convinced I would beat it that it was a real relief that I actually did.
My advice to anyone going through a similar thing is to try and stay positive and to get advice and support as early as possible. Macmillan Cancer Support and your GP are great sources of support.
Dave Simpson has now made a full recovery and has been working for Central Bedfordshire Healthwatch since April 2013. His experience as a cancer patient has led to his involvement in several local cancer patient groups and volunteering for the local community. Dave is a speaker and champion for Macmillan Cancer Support.


text:
from datetime import datetime
from itertools import count
from therminator import db
from therminator.models import *

GENERATORS = {
    'user.name': map(lambda n: 'User %d' % n, count()),
    'user.name': map(lambda n: "User %d" % n, count()),
    'user.email': map(lambda n: "user%d@example.com" % n, count()),
    'home.name': map(lambda n: "Home %d" % n, count()),
    'sensor.name': map(lambda n: "Sensor %d" % n, count()),
}

def build_user(name=None, email=None, password='secret'):
    if not name:
        name = next(GENERATORS['user.name'])
    if not email:
        email = next(GENERATORS['user.email'])
    return User(name=name, email=email, password=password)

def create_user(commit=True, **kwargs):
    user = build_user(**kwargs)
    db.session.add(user)
    if commit:
        db.session.commit()
    return user

def build_home(user=None, name=None, timezone='PST8PDT'):
    if not user:
        user = build_user()
    if not name:
        name = next(GENERATORS['home.name'])
    return Home(user=user, name=name, timezone=timezone)

def create_home(commit=True, **kwargs):
    home = build_home(**kwargs)
    db.session.add(home)
    if commit:
        db.session.commit()
    return home

def build_sensor(home=None, name=None):
    if not home:
        home = build_home()
    if not name:
        name = next(GENERATORS['sensor.name'])
    return Sensor(home=home, name=name)

def create_sensor(commit=True, **kwargs):
    sensor = build_sensor(**kwargs)
    db.session.add(sensor)
    if commit:
        db.session.commit()
    return sensor

def build_reading(
    int_temp=50.0,
    ext_temp=21.0,
    humidity=60.0,
    resistance=1500.0,
    **kwargs,
):
    if 'sensor' not in kwargs:
        kwargs['sensor'] = build_sensor()
    if 'timestamp' not in kwargs:
        kwargs['timestamp'] = datetime.utcnow()
    return Reading(
        int_temp=int_temp,
        ext_temp=ext_temp,
        humidity=humidity,
        resistance=resistance,
        **kwargs,
    )

def create_reading(commit=True, **kwargs):
    reading = build_reading(**kwargs)
    db.session.add(reading)
    if commit:
        db.session.commit()
    return reading


More than a third of IT professionals in the UK (36 per cent) haven't gotten any professional training through their employers in the last three years. At the same time, pretty much everyone (97 per cent of IT pros everywhere) say that knowing the latest skills is essential to them getting their work done.
Those are the results of a new survey conducted by the global freelancing site Upwork.
IT managers are also aware of the issues. Ninety-five per cent of them know updated skills are essential, but they're having all kinds of trouble getting there. For 70 per cent, technology moves too fast to always keep up with the latest, while for 49 per cent, budgets restrictions are holding them back.
What's more, 44 per cent cite time limitations, while 33 per cent prioritise other business responsibilities.
But IT managers should really consider investing in trainings and courses, as 89 per cent of IT workers said they'd consider leaving their position for better training opportunities elsewhere. This not only means businesses could keep their workers, but they'd also attract new talent, as well.


Learn about the latest Android™ software version and great new features like Smart text selection and Picture-in-picture mode for your Xperia™ device.
Learn how to get more out of your Xperia™ camera and improve your photographing skills.
Learn more about how you can use your Xperia™device in the rain or on a dusty trail.


MommyandMe.Fit offers boutique holistic health coaching and wellness workshops in a wholesome mommy-and-me setting. With MommyandMe.Fit everything is personalized and tailored to fit your family's individual needs. So whether you're an expecting mother or a parent of an active teen, we work together to craft the program that is best for you and your family.
get our workshop dates & details!
From the womb to the lunchbox, even into adulthood, our choices stay with us throughout our lives. With MommyandMe.Fit, you'll learn to navigate the complex world of diet and nutrition and maximize nutritional density in every meal.
Additionally, we will also cover popular topics like uncovering hidden sugars, unhealthy marketing to children, the truth about genetically modified foods (gmo's), understanding food sensitivities, simple meal preparation, and much more.
Extensive research has shown that daily meditation increases compassion, builds a sense of connectedness, and can prevent chronic illness, With MommyandMe.Fit you will learn transformational breathing and meditation exercises in a comfortable, non-religious setting and receive guidance as you decide which meditation practice best fits your needs.
Meditation has also helped improve mood, self-esteem, and concentration. According to a study at UCLA, second and third graders who practiced mindful meditation improved behavior and scored higher on tests than the nonmeditators. Meditation has also been used by expecting mothers who report a more present and peaceful experience during child birth.
To learn about our Mindfulness in the Classroom program please click here.
MommyandMe.Fit wants to reignite the creative expression within! With MommyandMe.Fit you have an opportunity to use your imagination and exercise your creative gifts while feeding your heart and your body, too!
Studies show the impact of creative expression doesn't only make us feel good, it's impact benefits the physical body as well. In fact, a study in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine found something as simple as creative writing strengthens the immune system and creates real, physical changes down to the cellular level.


text:
Q: Create a workflow to add a hyperlink based of the creation of a list or library? I've received an odd request from our Team Lead.  He wants to know if it is possible when someone adds a list or library to a site a Links List is automatically updated with that information (list/library title and hyperlink and description).  I pointed him to the Site Content page but he really wants a link list.  Is there a way to do this using a workflow?  Thanks

A: I do not believe it is possible to do what you want with a workflow. Site workflows are manually started and would not be able to retrieve the information you are wanting in order to create a list, same with a list workflow. You would have no way to trigger it automatically if a list or library was added.
I'd suggest looking into using the Content Search web part. Create a query that identifies only the list and document titles then create a custom display template that retrieves the Title, Link to List/Library, and the Description. You can then display the search results in order of newest to oldest.
A couple links I found that will give you a starting point:
SE: How to get the list name on a content search web part display template
Retrieving the list or library name of a search result in display templates
Adding a link to the search result list or library into your display template


text:
Editorial tribute to Gary Dickson: He will be a tough act to follow
The Regina Leader Post has a very fitting tribute to Gary Dickson, who is retiring as Information and Privacy Commissioner of Saskatchewan:
Editorial: Dickson will be a tough act to follow
Gary Dickson has done fine job as privacy watchdog
THE LEADER-POST JANUARY 7, 2014
Gary Dickson announced last week that he would be resigning from his post as Saskatchewan's Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Gary Dickson once described his role as "the umpire of the information age" and there's no doubt he's been a game changer as Saskatchewan's information and privacy commissioner.
Appointed in 2003 as the first full-time holder of the office, Dickson has significantly raised the profile of the public's right to privacy when it comes to the personal information held by government ministries and health agencies, and also a person's right to see their personal files and other information on how government works..
Sadly, he's chosen to leave at the end of this month following what he calls "a fascinating 10 years" in the job.
"Fascinating" might not be the word some in the corridors of power would use to describe Dickson's two terms of office. He's been a tenacious critic of politicians, bureaucrats and health officials in countless investigations that have exposed careless use of personal information, ignorance of privacy and access laws and a pitiful lack of consequences when things go wrong:
"Those arbitration decisions signal that if you have breached the privacy of a patient in Saskatchewan it's just no big deal. You can expect little more than the proverbial slap on the wrist." - Dickson's 2010 verdict on arbitration panels overturning dismissal of staff for privacy breaches.
"What we have here is a cascading series of bad decisions ... that ultimately culminated in the tossing of all of this patient information into the recycling bin." - From Dickson's damning 2011 report on how 2,682 patient files from a medical clinic wound up in a south Regina dumpster.
"You should never send anything by email - and I'm not talking about a closed email system within an organization, but a general email - that you wouldn't be prepared to see on an electronic billboard on Victoria Avenue." - Dickson's 2010 comment after the psychiatric assessment of an offender was emailed in error to a member of the public.
"When it comes to access and privacy, Saskatchewan is still a have-not province." - From Dickson's 2012-13 annual report criticizing successive governments for failing to update privacy and access laws.
A lawyer, past president of the Alberta Civil Liberties Association and a former Alberta Liberal MLA, Dickson served for nine years on the Alberta committee overseeing that province's information and privacy commissioner. A non-partisan committee selected him for the Saskatchewan post from a field of 52 candidates in 2003.
Dickson leaves some very big shoes to fill. The Saskatchewan Party government could make his successor's job easier by a) bringing privacy and access legislation up to the standards of other provinces and b) adding the fourth investigator Dickson has been requesting for the past six years.
Labels: Gary Dickson, saskatchewan
Nova Scotia FOIPOP Review Officer resigns after no...
Interim Privacy Commissioner makes recommendations...
Canadian privacy commissioner to table special rep...
Microsoft to agree to local storage of foreign use...
Citizen Lab calls for transparency by Canadian telcos
International Privacy Day Symposium on surveillanc...
Global Networking Initiative assesses Google, Micr...
CSEC spies on Canadians 'incidentally' to its mand...
Editorial tribute to Gary Dickson: He will be a to...
Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner,...
Happy tenth birthday to the Canadian Privacy Law Blog


text:
Q: What does control points look like in viewer ? How spread do they need to be ? I have a question for you . As I am working on using ERDAS Autosync to orthorectify from an ungeoreferenced aerial photos to known reference image. I have a DEM that to go with it as well.
I understand that in order to use "Tie" points or control points need to have them to be spread out. What I would like to see is an example of control points?  I have been in searching for this information on google and I find very limited on it.  What I would like to find the information that I prefer to see them in pictures or they can come from the research papers to show what control points looks like.  It will help me to understand how spread-out they need to be.
Here is the example I found :
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.516.2917&rep=rep1&type=pdf

A: Imagine your image is a flat piece of paper and you are trying to attach it to the surface of a spherical object with as little folds/wrinkles in the paper as possible by pressing push pins through the paper and into the sphere (these are your control points).  You could exclusively add a bunch of push pins to the middle of the page, this will do a good job with the middle of the paper but will leave distortions around the border.  In actuality, the best practice to stick the piece of the paper to the sphere is to use as many evenly spread out push pins because this will minimize the local distortion through your orthorectified image.
This example speaks to the true challenge of orthorectification, the challenge of fitting a 2D image onto a 3D space.  In terms of number of GCPs to use it's really dependent on your use case and personal preference.  In school I was told 30+ is good enough, but I've used anywhere from 4-60 depending on the factors related to the use-case such as image size, time requirements, accuracy requirements etc.


Jacob and Olivia love to eat waffles for breakfast, and their very favorite is when we make them together from scratch. When 4th of July rolled around I hadn't planned on making anything special for breakfast, but I had an extra container of red, white, and blue sprinkles that I had purchased to make these patriotic strawberries for our party later in the day, and I thought it would be fun to make something festive for breakfast as well.
1. Preheat your waffle maker according to the instructions. I use the Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker and I typically use setting 4.
2. Combine all ingredients except for the sprinkles in a bowl and mix for two minutes until smooth.
3. Stir in sprinkles. I didn't measure mine, but I would venture to say that I used about 1/8 of a cup.
4. Pour batter and spread evenly onto the waffle maker (my waffle maker requires 1/2 cup of batter per waffle).
5. Before closing the waffle maker, I quickly sprinkled a few extra sprinkles all over the top of the batter for an extra pop of color.
6. Close the waffle maker.
7. When the light turns green, remove the waffle.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 until remaining batter is used.
9. Serve to your hubby and sweet kiddos and watch them enjoy!
As I said before, I hadn't planned on doing an special breakfast for The 4th... there was no scouring Pinterest for creative 4th of July breakfasts or anything like that, but I saw the sprinkles and figured, hey, let's try it! The best part about this recipe is that you can change out the colors for every holiday - orange and black for Halloween, red and green for Christmas, red and pink for Valentine's Day, or even pink and yellow for spring or pink and green for summer. The possibilities are endless! I'm sure I'll even be whipping up some red and black ones during football season! Which reminds me, college football is only two months away so my favorite four months of the year are upon us! Could I be more excited?!
Mine definitely do! They were a big hit!
These look so delicious - I love all the festive treats!
Thanks, Christina. I love holidays for this very reason! I love some festive treats!
so fun for kids! definitely going to give these a try for July 4 or use different colored sprinkles for any special occasion! thanks!!
What a great idea! The perfect breakfast for the 4th!!!
Yum!! These look so fabulous and festive!!