text:
Given(/^I click the "Forgot your password" button$/) do
  click_on t("devise.shared.links.forgot_your_password")
end

When(/^I fill out the send password instructions form correctly$/) do
  fill_in User.human_attribute_name(:email), with: @current_user.email
  click_button t("app.send_me_instructions")
end

When(/^I fill out the send password instructions form incorrectly$/) do
  fill_in User.human_attribute_name(:email), with: "wrong@mail.com"
  click_button t("app.send_me_instructions")
end

When(/^I fill out the password update form correctly$/) do
  fill_in t("devise.passwords.edit.new_password"), with: "newpassword"
  fill_in t("activerecord.attributes.user.password_confirmation"), with: "newpassword"
  click_button t("devise.passwords.edit.change_my_password")
end

When(/^I fill out the password update form incorrectly$/) do
  fill_in t("devise.passwords.edit.new_password"), with: ""
  fill_in t("activerecord.attributes.user.password_confirmation"), with: ""
  click_button t("devise.passwords.edit.change_my_password")
  expect(page).to have_content(t("errors.messages.blank"))

  fill_in t("devise.passwords.edit.new_password"), with: "newpassword"
  fill_in t("activerecord.attributes.user.password_confirmation"), with: ""
  click_button t("devise.passwords.edit.change_my_password")
  expect(page).to have_content(t("errors.messages.confirmation", attribute: t("activerecord.attributes.user.password")))
end

Then(/^I should receive a password reset email and be able to click the button$/) do
  step "\"#{@current_user.email}\" should receive 2 emails"
  step "I open the email with subject \"#{t("devise.mailer.reset_password_instructions.subject")}\""
  step "I should see \"#{t("devise.mailer.reset_password_instructions.instruction")}\" in the email body"
  step "I follow \"#{t("devise.mailer.reset_password_instructions.action")}\" in the email"
  expect(page).to have_title(t("devise.passwords.edit.change_your_password"))
end

Then(/^I should see that my password was reset and I am logged in$/) do
  expect(page).to have_content(t("devise.passwords.updated"))
end

Then(/^I should see the email not found error message$/) do
  expect(page).to have_content(t("errors.messages.not_found"))
end


On "MIC:CHECK (occupy)" at Sideshow gallery, Brooklyn; "Gabriele Evertz: Rapture" at Minus Space, Brooklyn; "Lori Ellison" at McKenzie Fine Art, New York & "Halsey Hathaway and Gary Petersen: New Paintings" and "Paintings by Rob de Oude" at Storefront Bushwick, Brooklyn. 5 "Lee Bontecou: Recent Work: Sculpture and Drawing" opened at FreedmanArt, New York, on October 27, 2011 and remains on view through February 11, 2012.
Before the downturn of 2008, Damien Hirst appeared to ride the wave of irrational exuberance. Here was the artist of the mad herds. In 2007, he fabricated a diamond-encrusted skull, which he called For the Love of God, and made headlines attempting to sell it for 100 million dollars. Then months before the crash, he unloaded his stock for top dollar at Sotheby's. Just in time, it seemed, he cashed out in an art world example of the "greater fool theory," with sorry speculators left holding the bag of his worthless gewgaws.
5"Lee Bontecou: Recent Work: Sculpture and Drawing" opened at FreedmanArt, New York, on October 27, 2011 and remains on view through February 11, 2012.


and found that the overhang weight was too much for the mount. There is no support for the motor except the mounting flange of the gear reducer and all of that weight is held by the 4 small bolts and the small footprint of the gear reducer that is attached to a shelf behind the drum. The noise stopped immediately as soon as we leveled the motor. Shims were not the answer. We are temporarily supporting the back of the motor with a piece of 1×2 that extends to the floor to level the motor and take the pressure off of the gear reducer, which we are still going to replace with a Grove.


I am doing a presentation at the Canberra Atlassian User Group on 13 Feb 2014 titled "JIRA Integration: Using JIRA Without Using JIRA". This idea of this presentation is to give some insight into the the various integration points that JIRA offers and how they can be used. You can take a look at the slides here.
For those of you that don't know JIRA is a product by an Australian company called Atlassian and is primarily for bug tracking within software although people are often finding new and innovative ways to use it.
JIRA includes three main points of integration outside of using the software itself, these are the Issue Collector, the web service APIs and the (fairly) new Webhooks. Each of which are outlined below.
JIRA provides several options for automating repetitive tasks and allows strong integration with other systems. Find out what these options are and use them to your advantage.
The issue collector (introduced in JIRA 5.1) allows a "Create Issue" type form to be embedded in any web system. This is by far the easy way to integrate with JIRA.
Example of a JIRA issue collector.
Issue collectors are incredibly simply to use, you set up some basic config such as the name and description of your collector and importantly you specify what type of issue is to be raised when a user submits the form. My advice here is to create a fairly generic issue type for use with only issue collectors in order to easily filter them. After the initial configuration you specify which fields you want to display on the form – this allows you to choose from any fields you have specified for that issue type based on the configuration schemes.
Limits the double-entry of data – rather than issues/feedback being submitted by email or in spreadsheets or similar the issues can go directly into JIRA.
There is no need to write you own feedback functionality within your application when JIRA can provide it out-of-the-box.
Avoids losing information – once the data is in JIRA is can be categorised and closed if required but at least it saves endless hours searching through old emails.
JIRA includes a very extensive set of APIs in the form of web services. Both SOAP/XML-RPC and REST web services exist but the SOAP webservices were deprecated in JIRA 6.0 in favour of REST which was introduced in JIRA 4.2.
Nearly everything that can be done using the JIRA front end can also be achieved using a web service API from creating and updating issues to transitioning workflow stages. This allows for very tight integration with other systems and easy automation of repetitive tasks.
To make the use of the JIRA APIs easy the online documentation is fantastic and several libraries exist to abstract away from using the API directly, this includes Atlassians own REST Java Client for JIRA as well as a number of 3rd party libraries for other languages including .NET and python.
The APIs are available both in the self hosted versions and the "On-Demand" cloud based version that are hosted by Atlassian.
In order to demonstrate the capability of the web service APIs her are some examples showing how they could be used.
I wont write much here as I have written an entire blog post on this here.
Webhooks are a feature introduced in JIRA 5.2 that allow a one way communication from JIRA to another system. Webhooks are a fairly new and emerging technology on the internet and work by an event in one system triggering a one way notification to another system. This basically eliminates the need to constant polling and provides a very simple method of integration – receiving a webhook notification is no more complex that receiving a submitted HTML form.
JIRA allows webhooks to be trigger for issues that conform to a certain JQL query and will issue notifications for newly created issues, deleted issues, updated issues and as work is logged against an issue.
Webhooks are easily configured via the JIRA front end using the form shown above. The core part of this configuration is the URL in which JIRA will send the notification to. Along with the notification will be information contained within the issue unless the "Exclude issue details from the POST to URL" option is checked.
As with the APIs an example might help to understand the value of Webhooks.
Recruitment can easily be managed within JIRA. A heavily customised issue type of "Applicant" could be created to store all the information about an applicant and a workflow could be made to have stages such as "New Applicant", "Awaiting Assessment", "Phone Interview", "Face-to-Face Interview", etc. This works very well when combined with JIRA Agile and viewing all these applicants on a Rapid Board.
However, as part of the above process there is an assessment stage. This is in the form of an online assessment used as an initial screening of applicants to assess their ability to carry out the job. Obviously, JIRA is not capable of issuing and managing tests, this would have to be done by another system. Using web hooks the assessment system can be notified every time that a new "Applicant" issue type is created and immediately issue them a test. This therefore eliminates the need to have the assessment system constantly polling JIRA for new applicants or asking the user to enter the information once into JIRA and once in the assessment system.
Using the APIs the assessment system can even write information back to JIRA such as the URL of the online assessment and the score that the applicant achieved.


Archives|OPERATIC SCHOOL OPENS NEXT JUNE; Rabinoff's Plans ,to Form U.S. National Grand Opera Company Completed. NATIVE AMERICAN SINGERS World-Renowned Masters to Sit as Jury to Study Aspirants, Founder Adds.
OPERATIC SCHOOL OPENS NEXT JUNE; Rabinoff's Plans ,to Form U.S. National Grand Opera Company Completed. NATIVE AMERICAN SINGERS World-Renowned Masters to Sit as Jury to Study Aspirants, Founder Adds.


text:
The 21 Biggest Fashion Faux Pas
By: Julie Michelle Smith
Expressing your individuality? We're all for it. But some things just shouldn't be worn in public.
Next time you go out shopping for clothes, make sure to keep this list in mind.
1. Oversized Handbags
We're probably not going to make ourselves popular with this, but face it: oversized handbags look absurd on anyone. What are you going to tuck into that bag anyway, your 2 feet long cellphone? Don't think it's cool because celebrities (we're looking at you, Cameron) like to walk around with those things: they look ridiculous as well, but no one dares to say it.
What do Jennifer Lopez, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie have in common? Exactly: they all look silly when they wear their huge sunglasses. No, it's not pretty, stylish or anything positive. Just stay away from those things.
3. Chihuahuas (or other domestic animals)
Animals don't make nifty fashion accessoires: not when they're alive, nor when they're dead.
4. Crocs
There's no excuse for wearing Crocs, not even if you work as a nurse or as a poolboy. Socks in Crocs, George? We're speechless.
5. The Marilyn Monroe look
It was cool when Cristina did it. Then Katherine Heigl did it, and it was still sort of cool. But please, for the love of God, don't do this if you're not a celebrity. Unless it's for a Halloween party.
25 Things To Do in Dubai
By: David E.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The CrystaLAZE® plate material (patent pending) can be etched with any CO2 laser engraver 20Watts or lower, (the Cobalt 300 is recommended). Developed solely for CO2 laser engravers, the surface of CrystaLAZE® is compatible with the CO2 wavelength enabling the finest detail to be etched – more than any CO2 laser plate material available today!
CrystaLAZE® plates come with a blue protective peel sheet in order to prevent scratching. It has a uniform, consistent hardness that will perform perfectly all the time and withstand up to 10,000 impressions.


0:30 What Is Rough ER?
What Is the Function of the Nucleus in Eukaryotic Cells?
In this lesson, we will look at the busy workings of the rough ER. Here we will establish its definition, examine its function, and observe its structure. At the end, you can test your knowledge with a short quiz.
Just like your body is comprised of many different organs, which work together in organ systems to ensure healthy function, individual cells have many different organelles that work in similar ways. One of the most key roles of these organelles has to do with proteins. It is proteins that affect pretty much all functions, metabolizing, and physiological features of cells, so it is crucial that proteins be constructed properly.
That is where the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) comes in. This organelle is the site of protein production, folding, quality checking, and export to other parts of the cell. Some of these proteins end up embedded in cell membranes to assist in metabolism, some become enzymes, and some become support structures. The ER as a whole can be compared to a factory: manufacturing, quality control, and shipping!
Like other cell organelles, the ER is comprised of many folded layers of membrane. This ensures a high surface area for protein and lipid production, kind of like having a very large workbench. Cells have two types of ER: rough and smooth.
The rough ER is named so because its outside is covered with millions of ribosomes, tiny organelles responsible for protein assembly, also known as translation. Ribosomes are also found free roaming in the cytosol and near the outside of the nucleus. Smooth ER lacks ribosomes and is devoted to the manufacturing of lipids.
If the ER is a factory, then the cell nucleus is the corporate headquarters, sending the factory blueprints of items to be constructed. In cells, these blueprints, DNA code, are meant to construct different types of proteins. When the ribosomes on the outside of the rough ER receive the blueprints, they then begin the process of translating the code into the specific amino acid sequence that will result in a specific type of protein.
Imagine a chain of pearls with each of the pearls being a different color. Different combinations of colors result in different types of chains. This is precisely how amino acid chain sequence determines the type of protein it will become. It is then folded into its fully functional structure.
Once the protein has been assembled, it then undergoes another key factory function: quality control. It is checked for flaws and if found faulty, kicked out to the cytoplasm to be broken back down into individual amino acids. A flawed protein could be deformed or otherwise fail to function properly, causing defects in the cell or organism. If found intact, the protein is exported from the ER and sent off to other parts of the cell for use.
The rough ER is an organelle found in eukaryotic cells and is devoted to protein manufacturing and export. It consists of many folded layers of membrane, across which a high volume of proteins can be produced. The 'rough' description pertains to the millions of tiny ribosomes, which are embedded on the exterior of the ER and function to translate DNA code into an amino acid chain. In the ER membranes, the chain is folded into a protein, checked for quality, and then exported into the cell cytoplasm for various uses. This part of the cell works much like a factory, with the critical job of making sure the cell, and entire organism, has all the necessary proteins to function optimally.


My blood work came back!
I am very pleased to say that everything looked "good" according to the doctor. He said my organ function tests (kidney, liver, whatever else he did) all came out fine, my iron (ferritin) was normal (38), and thyroid function is also good (the paperwork says "TSH Reflex - 2.13"). All the other counts are normal too. The only one that is outside of normal range was my glucose and the Estimated Average Glucose from the A1C. It is not high enough for my doctor to be concerned but of course it makes me take note. My glucose (not fasting, but I only had a cup of no-sugar coffee prior) was 103. My A1C, which looks at my average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months, was 5.3 (for reference, normal is 4.0 - 6.0, and diabetic is anything over 6.5. "Pre diabetic," or at higher risk for developing diabetes, starts at 5.7). My Estimated Average Glucose was very slightly high at 105; 65-99 is the reference range.
The other area of concern is my blood pressure which has been 140/90 at the past two visits. I have a history of high blood pressure (very high, actually; it was consistently in the 160's/90's range when I was working and going to school as a single mom of four, and I was on medication back in 2005) but it came down to normal and stayed at 120/70 or less when I lost weight. I believe my blood pressure "issue" is directly related to my weight. I am sure stress isn't helpful, either.
Based on these results, my appointment to recheck the fibroid, ovarian cyst, and cervical screening have been moved to next month (no longer considered urgent, and insurance has their own timetable for coverage). I am comfortable with that.
I have something else I want to share that my doctor offered me, but I have to go for now. I will write more later. You won't believe it. I am still a bit disappointed.
Good to hear that the results are ok. But curious to know what your dictor recommended.
I am glad to hear your results came back OK. Hopefully your stress level has dropped some with that news.
I will have to check back to see what you Dr. said.
Glad labs are okay. Great that you are keeping tabs on your A1C.
Keep an open mind on the next steps. Never say Never.
Yep, I had a hunch! Glad nothing it seriously wrong.
See, all of that angst and worry for nothing! I'm glad your results were good.
And I agree with Kristi, upon reading the end of your post I immediately figured the doctor suggested weight loss surgery.
Weight loss surgery is where my mind went to as well. Will be watching for more details.
So glad the "physical in the blood vials" was essentially normal. Very reassuring.
I truly hope your doctor didn't offer or suggest that you have weight loss surgery. You've lost weight on your own before and that's proof that you can do it again when you're ready.
Your tests were all fine, so that's a huge relief. WLS is dangerous and I'd really worry about you having that life altering major surgery.
By golly, I'd count calories, eat less, or just about anything before I'd allow my stomach to be nearly all cut off.
I think the stats are 1 in 200 die from WLS.
I wish I knew how to help you lose weight. I'm on my third day of being on plan on Medifast. I wasn't on plan before and transitioned too early. I haven't had one cheat and this time I plan to make it to goal before I transition.
My very dear friend is in 4th stage cancer due to obesity. I spoke to her today and couldn't stop crying. We've been friends for over half a century.
Can you at least think about the possibility of having smaller portions of all the foods you love? Half of this and half of that eating slowly with lots of sipping of liquids between bites. You can do it.
You don't have to deprive yourself of any of the foods you love. There's not a thing wrong with a 35calorie piece of bacon.
Hugs to you, dear. Theresa from the MF blog.
I thought of diet pills (Phentermine, these days) as a possibility too Paula but I hope not, with the blood pressure issue.
Being a stimulant they can raise blood pressure.
As I read here off and on, not as much as I used to, one thing perhaps has not been addressed. Hunger and the role it plays in losing weight. With the 6 small meal philosophy to keep from getting hungry, I believe one of our strongest tools in weight loss is rarely utilized. Hunger is a good thing, a normal feeling and one that should perhaps be embraced more often than it is in our culture. Hunger between each meal tells our hormones and our bodies to use the stored energy we have until the next "feast". Hunger allows our digestive systems to rest a bit, not always overburdened with processing food and flooding insulin. We all get so afraid to be hungry, to feel hunger, afraid it will cause a binge and we fear the binge. Why not embrace the hunger as an everyday event and let our bodies burn some of the stored fat as energy? The self confidence I get from knowing that I will be hungry in the afternoon, I will be hungry at bedtime all while knowing I will and do have next meals coming is something I really enjoy. I like the control it gives me, to know that I don't want to eat right now, I want to feel the hunger. But also that I do have a good meal coming up. I don't know, I think we are too soft on ourselves in this country. Soft food, soft lives, not hard enough with our self discipline. And yes, I have eaten whole sleeves of oreos, whole dinners and desserts and snacks and whatever might be in the house, eating my way through the evenings. Now I stop after dinner and embrace my hunger at bedtime. This will bring on a binge for some? I call it an excuse to behave badly, just as an alcoholic who falls off the wagon behaves badly. We expect alcoholics to pull themselves together or hit the road, same with food addiction. An alcoholic must embrace sobriety to live successfully, we must embrace hunger, in my opinion, to do so. I am always really hungry by dinner time, and really hungry at bedtime. I eat just about what I want at the dinner hour. My body has moderated itself to being more muscular and less flabby, without much working out. I'm rarely sick with viruses or any other bugs that fly around our schools and work.
I just hope Lynn tells us soon.. I'm so curious..
I'm so happy that all your blood results came back fine..
I've been reading since I was in highschool like two years ago. You have always been such an inspiration. I just want to say, even when you struggle I'm so proud of you to keep going and blogging! Im so glad to hear your tests went well. You've got this Lyn. I really think you can do anything.
My fasting glucose was 'slightly' elevated as well so my dr ordered a glucose tolerance test just to be safe. Turned out I have impaired glucose tolerance, which means I'm considered 'pre-diabetic' - she immediately suggested a gastric band. I know people who have had them and they have NOT lost weight because they didn't change their eating or exercise habits. Then she suggested Phentermine instead, and I don't want diabetes so I agreed to give it a try. Apparently all other countries but Australia and New Zealand have banned its use, but they consider it safe here if monitored by your doctor. I'm on day 5, wish me luck.
I do wish you luck, please be careful. It is so hard knowing what path to take to try and fix our health.
I love the comment by Anon above about hunger and fear of hunger. This iwas exactly what I needed to read, because I have a ridiculous fear of being hungry -- almost a low-level panic feeling.
I remember reading an article about Ivanna Trump, and she was quoted as saying that when she was hungry she felt "powerful". Interesting.
I am going to try to eat 3 healthy meals per day and try to get myself used to the feeling of hunger. It really is a normal feeling, and nothing to be afraid of.


text:
WESU Radio Celebrates 75th Anniversary Nov. 2
by Olivia Drake • October 29, 2014
The exhibit "WESU: Celebrating 75 Years of Community Radio," is on display in Olin Library and is part of WESU's 75th anniversary celebration.
WESU Radio will host an event to commemorate the non-commercial radio station's 75th anniversary on Nov. 2. Middletown Mayor Daniel Drew, among other dignitaries, will be in attendance to honor the station's 75-year legacy of community service and acknowledge the radio station's staff of more than 150 student and community volunteers.
The event begins at 5:30 p.m. in Olin Library and is open to the public. There, attendees can view an exhibition titled "WESU: Celebrating 75 Years of Community Radio," which offers an anecdotal look at one of the oldest college radio stations in the United States using photographs, documents, news clippings and artifacts. Wesleyan University Archivist Leith Johnson curated the show.
On Nov. 3, WESU will be presented with a proclamation from the City of Middletown.
Established in 1939 and currently celebrating its' 75th anniversary, WESU is one of the oldest non-commercial radio stations in the United States. By day, Monday through Friday, WESU offers a diverse mix of news and public affairs from NPR, Pacifica, and independent and local media sources. Week nights and weekends WESU student and community volunteer broadcasters provide a freeform mix of creative music programming featuring music not readily available elsewhere on the radio.
The station currently broadcasts at the frequency of 88.1 FM from its 6,000-watt transmitter located atop Exley Science Center with a potential to reach over one million listeners throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts. WESU also streams audio, online through the website www.wesufm.org.
Tags:WESU
← Backer, Culliton, Quinones Honored with Cardinal Achievement Awards
Choreographer Otake Begins 3-Year Appointment with Seminar, Exhibition →


Our Dekora line gives you everything you love about ledger panels, but without any of the maintenance. Offering 5 different porcelain ledger panels, feel free to decorate that outdoor island grill or frame your fireplace in the simple beauty of Dekora line. These panels come in a familiar 6 X 24 size to fit perfectly into your outdoor or indoor design.


text:
UT safety Dylan Haines (14) reacts to a missed field goal by OU in the first quarter at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas Saturday October 8, 2016. JAY JANNER / AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Texas vs. Kansas State: Five key matchups
Posted October 21st, 2016
Here are five key matchups to watch Saturday:
Texas #33 D'Onta Foreman goes down with the ball against Kansas State Saturday, October 24, 2015. Deborah Cannon/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
D'ONTA FOREMAN VS. KANSAS STATE'S RUN DEFENSE
Foreman, the Big 12's leading rusher, is averaging 146.2 yards per game, which ranks second nationally. And only Earl Campbell has bettered Foreman's active run of seven straight 100-yard games (Campbell did it 11 times in a row). But can Foreman keep that streak alive against a Wildcats defense that's allowing a Big 12-low 90.3 rushing yards per game? Last year against the Wildcats, Foreman ran 10 times for 43 yards.
EDGE: Texas
Texas offensive lineman Patrick Vahe (77) and offensive lineman Connor Williams (55) block Iowa State's JaQuan Bailey (19) for Texas quarterback Shane Buechele(7) in the third quarter at Royal-Memorial Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. (Stephen Spillman / for American-Statesman)
SHANE BUECHELE VS. KANSAS STATE'S DEFENSE
Kansas State allowed 320 passing yards over its three non-conference games, but its best showing in Big 12 play so far has been holding West Virginia's Skyler Howard to 298 yards. In the past two weeks, Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes II and Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield have combined for 850 yards. Buechele is looking for his first 300-yard game of his career — he finished four yards shy of that last week — but can he do it against a team that's recorded 12 sacks and six interceptions?
KANSAS STATE'S JESSE ERTZ VS. UT'S DYLAN HAINES
Kansas State has attempted 42 fewer pass attempts than Texas, but the Wildcats are expecting to have Ertz back from a shoulder injury. Kansas State quarterbacks have been intercepted once in the last three games against Texas, one nabbed by Haines last year. The senior safety has both of Texas' picks this season, and he's 23 yards shy of Texas' career record for yards off interception returns.
EDGE: Kansas State
Kansas State wide receiver Dominique Heath (4) scores during an NCAA college football game between Kansas State and Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
KANSAS STATE KICK RETURNERS VS. UT KICK COVERAGE
Kansas State sophomore Byron Pringle is averaging 31.6 yards per kickoff return while Dominique Heath is logging 15.9 yards per punt return. Those two Wildcats have combined for three Big 12 special teams player of the week awards. Texas has Michael Dickson, who's averaging 47.9 yards per punt, to counter Heath, but Iowa State did record 47- and 32-yard kickoff returns in last year's game at Royal-Memorial Stadium.
Texas Trent Domingue(17) kicks for a field goal against Iowa State with quarterback Trey Holtz(15) in the second quarter at Royal-Memorial Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. (Stephen Spillman / for American-Statesman)
KICKER VS. KICKER
This game features two kickers who should compete for All-Big 12 honors. No other kicker in the conference has booted more field goals than Texas' Trent Domingue and Kansas State's Matthew McCrane. Domingue has converted nine of his 12 field goal attempts, his longest kick a 43-yarder against UTEP. McCrane also is 9 of 12, with a long of 42.
EDGE: Even
Next story: Texas vs. Kansas State: Four questions facing the Horns
The best finishes by a preseason-ranked Texas men's basketball team
Texas vs. Kansas State: Four questions facing the Horns


The Fairfield Warde girls basketball team should be primed and ready in 2011-12.
The Mustangs return three starters from a team that won a Class L state playoff game a year ago.
"We're seasoned this year," Warde head coach Dave Danko said. "There is a wealth of good athletes who know and love the game of basketball."
And despite an 0-2 start to their season, Danko knows his five seniors-- all of whom are captains-- will have a hand on whether the year is successful or not.
"I tell them every day in practice that this is their year and ask them how they want to be remembered," Danko said. "They control their own destiny."
Amongst those seniors is four-year varsity players Brielle Lanese and Kate Kerrigan. Lanese is in her second year as a team captain. Both were starters a year ago, and Danko expects Lanese to be his best low-post threat, despite her recent return from an elbow injury.
Jerelyn Luther is a tough rebounder and defender. Seniors Jamera Fountain and Carly Mappa are guards who are lethal from the outside when they're on.
After his five seniors, Danko only has sophomores on his varsity roster. Kaitlin McKenna completes Luther and Lanese inside. Classmate Kenzie Burns was the Mustangs' leading-scorer after their first two games.
"We have a fabulous sophomore class," Danko said. "They're ready to contribute."
Danko is one of the FCIAC's closest followers, and he knows how narrow the gap is between the teams who will be good and those who will finish in the bottom third of the league.
"The league has about 15 good teams in it," he said.
Danko also knows reaching the FCIAC tournament for the first time since the Mustangs won the league in 2009 is attainable.
"We're using it as a carrot to the seniors," Danko said. "It's not going to be easy, though."
Warde also hopes to not only keep Danko's state playoff streak alive, but win more than one game in the Class L tournament, too.
"We've made the state playoffs 18 straight years," he said. "We want to get there and advance farther than we did last year."


Directions: Entering Featherston from the South over the Rimutakas, Turn 2nd left then 1st right into Fox Street, 3rd house on left. From North, Fox Street turn right off Main Rd (Fitzherbert St).
All accommodation is only a couple of minutes walk to Featherston's Town Centre, Fell Museum, shops, Military Museum, schools, halls, walks, childrens' park, mini rail, swimming pool, and railway station. 5 minutes drive to Tarureka Estate, golf course and 10 minutes drive to Lake Wairarapa and Tauherenikau Racecourse. 15 minutes to Martinborough's wineries, vineyards and festivals, and Greytown's boutique shopping and approx 1hr drive to Wellington. Great fishing, diving, beaches, chasm walk, country gardens, Kahutara Canoes, Mount Holdsworth walks, Waiohine Gorge, Paua Shell Factory and Taxidermy Gallery, all within 1 hr drive. 10 minutes drive to Wairarapa lake for great duck shooting.
Tranzit coachlines are available for most of the major events like Martinborough fair, Toast Martinborough, Tauherenikau races, Concerts etc, but bookings are essential.
If you require transport to local function, we may be able to help.


On Saturday 29th July, we will be hosting an exciting bridal event alongside one of our exclusive designers, Helen Rhiannon!
This first-time event will be your chance to try on dresses designed and handmade by Helen - during your very own appointment, you will have the rare opportunity to discuss bespoke options with Helen herself, and benefit from her expert input and advice.
Helen Rhiannon is known for her close eye for detail and strives for bridal perfection. Every dress is intricately made in Helen's studio on the edge of the Gower in South Wales, and we proudly stock 20 of these gorgeous dresses in the boutique!


Parting shot: Try the Ram 1500.
The 2018 Nissan Titan XD is beyond huge, beyond titanic. It's like Andre the Giant ringside, like the Yeti in a mountain snow, like Fortnite to a tween.
The XD likely stands for eXtra Duty since Nissan promotes it as heavy-duty capable but light-duty driveable, like a Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado or Ram 1500. Titan XD might be sized like the extended cab offerings of light duty trucks, but it behaves like something much more.
Crank the V-8 diesel engine, and it could be mistaken for a semitruck. Drive it and empathize with long-haul truckers confronted with all the nuisance drivers buzzing about like gnats at dusk. Park it in an underground garage, and the nose sticks out like hair on a wart.
The Cummins 5-liter turbocharged V-8 engine churns out 555 pound-feet of torque, good enough to tow 12,640 pounds, ideal for lugging around your pet elephant. An equally heavy-duty six-speed Aisin automatic transmission developed exclusively for the Titan XD delivers power in a 4x4 system for off-road conquering.
Switching the selector to 2WD makes the Titan XD more manageable on roads, but there is no place for economy when it comes to fuel in this beast. Since it's classified as heavy duty, there are no Environmental Protection Agency estimates for miles per gallon. We averaged 8.2 mpg around town and about 13 mpg on the highway, in 2WD.
It drives heavy, it shifts heavy, it handles heavy because that's what it was made to do. Like light duty trucks, which used to be called half-ton trucks until they exceeded a payload over 1,000 pounds, the XD is as long and wide as an F-150 SuperCrew Cab or any of the other extended cab offerings that seat five, maybe six. Titan XD weighs at least 1,500 pounds more than the light duty competition but makes less horsepower. The XD diesel is all about the torque; the next best light-duty Ram 1500 generates 410 pound-feet, for context.
The $50,000 pickup truck question boils down to: How is it going to be used every day? If you've been on the losing end of the argument over what you're going to do with a pickup the 300-or-so days a year when you're not towing or hauling or helping, then the redesigned 2019 Ram 1500 is your counterargument.
The interior controls marry the old with the new. There is a 7-inch touch screen that looks tiny when flanked by big climate knobs and volume and tuning knobs. Most convenience functions can be handled with the redundant steering wheel controls. The tester came with leather and ventilated front seats with eight-way power driver seat and four-way passenger seat as part of the Pro-4X convenience package ($3,545). I don't know if it's worth it, but power folding side mirrors should be standard on a truck this massive. Throw in some running boards, too.
The rear seat area is spacious, with fold-up seats with a fold-flat floor to stack stuff over the seat housing. The bed has storage areas over the wheel wells, much smaller and more basic than a Ram box. A retractable step gives a necessary boost into the high-riding bed.
Titan XD is a work truck made for towing, hauling, grunting and guzzling. The light duty trucks can do double duty as everyday drivers without being too taxing. Not the case with the Titan XD. Changing lanes is a trial, parking is a pain, but the PRO-4X trim level we tested very well could be the basis for the next war rig in the Mad Max franchise.
The Cummins 5-liter turbocharged V-8 engine churns out 555 pound-feet of torque, good enough to tow 12,640 pounds, ideal for lugging around your pet elephant.
2018 Nissan Titan XD Crew Cab in Pro-4X trim is powered by a 5-liter turbocharged V-8 diesel engine and six-speed automatic Aisin transmission that generates 310-horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. It tows 12,640 pounds. Pictured in Arlington Heights, Ill., June 14, 2018.


What is the philosophy of First Aid Beauty?
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Broadcast on: DStv
Active from: 02 Sep 2008
BBC Lifestyle is a South African television channel broadcast exclusively on MultiChoice Africa's DStv platform which was one of four BBC-branded themed channels that replaced BBC Prime and BBC Food in September 2008, and provides inspiration for home, family and life.
Bouquet: Premium, Compact Plus, Compact
1080p (HDTV, 16:9) - DStv (since 28 October, 2020)
BBC Lifestyle positions itself as a "must have" channel in which real human stories guide you into transforming your world; from revamping your home to invigorating your cooking, revolutionising your wardrobe and polishing parenting skills, helping you to become healthier, happier and get the best out of life.
The channel aims to be inspiring, daring, always in-the-know, sassy and energetic, alive with inspirational ideas to transform your life.
Originally offered in Standard Definition (SD), the channel upgraded to High Definition (1080p) on 28 October, 2020.
Hell's Kitchen (USA)
Genre: Food, Reality Competition
Channel: BBC Lifestyle, BBC Entertainment
Summary: Hosted by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, this competition series features prospective chefs competing in an elimination format for a grand prize.
Starring: Gordon Ramsay
Channel: BBC Lifestyle, M-Net, M-Net Series Reality, eReality, M-Net Family, M-Net City, Vuzu
Summary: The battle is on to find the most promising, undiscovered talent in Australia, as ambitious kitchen enthusiasts take on demanding challenges.
Starring: Sarah Wilson, Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris
Genre: Food, Dating Game Show
Channel: SABC3, BBC Lifestyle
Summary: South African version of the show which gives one person each week the chance to find love over three meals cooked by a blind date in their own home.
19 Jan 2021 | Written by: Shows Editor | From: New Shows and Seasons
New on TV today: Thursday 14 January
The Trump Show starts on M-Net and BBC Lifestyle shows you how to get 10 Years Younger in 10 Days.
Phatblitz 2021 plans
02 Jan 2021 | Written by: PhatBlitz | From: Phatblitz South African Unsigned Hip Hop Artist
Stay tuned to Phatblitz


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Complete Review List
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Chaos is Gaming
Chaos is Comics
Yet More Reviews on the Way
Here's a quick heads-up as far as what's coming on e-AAGH.net.
We're planning on reviews of League of Legends (PC), Halo Reach (360) and Rune Factory: Frontier (Wii) to hit the site in the coming weeks, and I'm still working on Test Drive Unlimited 2, DC Universe Online and Dragon Age 2.
When it's released I'm also going to bang out a review of Out of the Park 12, which will be the sixth title in the series to be reviewed here. In addition, I'm planning on getting ahold of Major League Baseball 2K11 for review but that may have to wait until later.
Also, please take our visitor survey so that we can further improve the site to suit our visitors.
Out of the Park Baseball 2006 (PC) Review
News, Reviews and Updates for 3/1/11
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Out of the Park Baseball 11 (PC) Review
Out of the Park Baseball 8 (PC) Review
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All Around Gaming Hub est. 2005 | Chaos is Gaming est. 2011


Update: This post was originally written after nine were killed in a shooting in Oregon in October. It has been updated after Wednesday's California shooting.
There are those who would politicize mass shootings and those who would rather not.
But it's inevitable that after a particularly horrific mass shooting, like the one that killed at least 14 at an office holiday party in California on Wednesday or the one that killed nine at a community college in Oregon in October, Americans will debate guns' place in our society.
As you've no doubt come to realize, perhaps at the dinner table or while talking politics at a bar, that debate can get heated — sometimes very heated. We thought we'd help make it more civil by grounding either side in some facts and well-reasoned arguments.
Whether you lean toward gun rights or gun restrictions, here's your guide to the debate, in five arguments. And just maybe, it'll help you understand where the other side is coming from.
Argument 1: Would more guns prevent gun deaths?
We don't have the highest crime rate among developed nations, according to that 2012 U.N. survey, but we do have the highest firearm-homicide rate, according to a Council on Foreign Relations analysis of that study and the Small Arms Survey.
In other words: Lots of guns don't seem to have prevented us from becoming top in the world in gun deaths. So why do we believe more guns would change that?
But pro-gun-rights economist John Lott Jr. wrote in his 2003 book, "The Bias Against Guns," that states with conceal-and-carry laws did have lower firearm murder and injury rates. He's also argued that guns can be a powerful deterrent: A research paper of his cites a 1986 survey in which 56 percent of felons across 10 state prisons said they would not attack a potential victim known to be armed.
Argument 2: Do more gun laws prevent gun deaths?
Pro gun rights: The data on this is incomplete. National Journal published a chart in August proclaiming to show that states with stricter gun laws — Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey — had fewer gun death rates. But when the Washington Post's Fact Checker team removed suicides from those gun deaths (which accounted for more than 60 percent of gun-related deaths in 2013), the results changed, sometimes dramatically.
In this new calculation, half the top 10 states with the lowest gun-death rates (per 100,000 residents here) have less-restrictive gun laws.
Pro gun control: Just because the data is inconclusive doesn't mean we shouldn't implement common-sense reforms that most Americans — even law-abiding gun owners — agree on, like universal background checks.
And that Washington Post analysis you mentioned? It's notable that the states on the bottom (the ones with the most gun deaths per 100,000 residents) generally have among the least amount of gun laws (those highlighted in blue).
Argument 3: Should schools arm teachers and guards?
Pro gun control: The Oregon community college where nine recently died wasn't a gun-free zone. Umpqua Community College allowed anyone with a conceal-and-carry permit to bring their guns inside.
But for argument's sake, let's say teachers and other staff in America were all suddenly armed. Even the pro-gun-rights National Rifle Association-backed 2013 task force on this topic found that there is no national training program and very few local ones to adequately ensure these guns are used safely. Training everyone would be a huge and expensive undertaking, and even then there's no guarantee that guns wouldn't be fired accidentally or in a moment of passion. A 2000 review by the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, for instance, found that guns in the home are more often used to threaten people the gun owner knows rather than to thwart crime.
Pro gun rights: Just quote Ben Carson. The retired neurosurgeon and top-tier GOP presidential candidate said a few days after the Oregon shooting: "If the teacher was trained with a weapon, I'd be much more comfortable if they had one than if they didn't."
Backing up that assumption are surveys cited by the National Association of School Resource Officers, which advocates for and trains school officers. The group made the case that armed guards have helped decrease school violence, citing a 2009 study that found the presence of school officers, who are sometimes armed, was attributable to a nearly 73 percent decrease in arrests involving possession of a weapon on school property.
Argument 4: Is prohibiting gun ownership compatible with the 2nd Amendment?
Pro gun rights: The highest court in the land doesn't seem to think so. In 2008, the Supreme Court decided 5-4 that the 2nd Amendment's stated "right of the people to keep and bear Arms" means you can own a gun for self-defense, striking down Washington, D.C.'s 32-year ban on handguns in the city.
Arguing for the conservative Heritage Foundation, George Mason University law professor Nelson Lund wrote that the 2nd Amendment clearly "recognizes the inalienable natural right to self-defense. Lawmakers may outlaw certain types of weapons, but they may not disarm the citizenry."
Pro gun control: Yeah, but many other times this question has been brought up in a court of law, there's been a clear and consistent pattern, according to the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Constitution Center. And that is this: The four liberal justices in that 2008 case and the federal courts have nearly unanimously ruled the 2nd Amendment, which refers to "a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State," only protects states's rights to maintain militias and not an individual's rights to own any gun he or she wants to.
Argument 5: Do Americans even want more gun control?
Pro gun rights: Not really. When Quinnipiac University asked Americans that question in September, more people said they oppose stricter gun laws than support them, including independents.
In fact, for the past decade, Americans have been shifting toward viewing guns as the answer to gun violence -- not the problem. After a 2014 Pew Research Center survey marked the first time in two decades that more Americans supported the concept of gun rights than gun control. An August Pew survey found public opinion narrowly split but much closer than it had been for decades.
Americans are also showing their support for keeping our gun laws the way they are at the voting booth. When a 2013 vote in the Senate to expand background checks failed, voters congratulated Republicans who opposed background checks by ushering in one of the party's largest congressional majorities since the Great Depression.
Pro gun control: Yeah, but when you break down specific gun-control policies, Americans are actually in favor of a few key ones -- sometimes with overwhelming majorities.
Even though it failed in the Senate, making everyone who buys a gun go through a background check has steadily been supported by 80 to 90 percent of Americans. It even gets high marks among members of the National Rifle Association.
Support for banning assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines also polls well, regularly in the 60-to-70 percent range. With numbers like that, there's no reason we can't pass common-sense gun control reform that many Americans agree will make us all safer.


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The Sporting Scene
Claressa Shields Tries to Draw a Crowd to Women's Boxing
By Kelefa Sanneh
Claressa Shields speaks wistfully of the chance, one day, to fight for a million dollars.Photograph by Mark Brown / Getty
On Wednesday morning, Claressa Shields arrived early for her interview at SiriusXM studios accompanied by three boxing-championship belts, two Olympic gold medals, and one personal nutritionist. Sway Calloway, a hip-hop-radio personality who has known Shields for years, intercepted her in the hallway; he was suitably impressed. "You got a nutritionist?" he said. "When I met you, you didn't have no nutritionist—you coming up in the game!"
Shields is twenty-four, and people around her have been charting her rise since she started boxing, at the age of eleven. On the eve of the 2012 Olympics, in London, Ariel Levy profiled Shields for The New Yorker. "When she's not boxing, Shields has the open, inquisitive face of a child, but in the ring it hardens into terrifying purposefulness," Levy wrote. Shields made it to London as part of the inaugural class of Olympic women boxers and won gold in the middleweight division (seventy-five kilograms, or roughly a hundred and sixty-five pounds); she was the first American gold medallist in boxing since Andre Ward, in 2004. Four years later, in Rio de Janeiro, she won again. Shields is now the only American boxer ever to win gold medals at two Olympics.
This is an impressive distinction, but it is also a melancholy one. The reason American gold-medallist boxers don't repeat is that they typically turn professional—to make money. Ward, for instance, used his Olympic victory to launch an extraordinary professional career; Oscar De La Hoya, who won gold in 1992, became one of the most popular fighters in the sport's history. But Shields found, after her first gold, that there was no great temptation to go pro: in America, there was little money in professional women's boxing. "I just got tired of waiting for endorsements and sponsorships," she said, at the time.
Shields finally turned pro near the end of 2016, after her triumph in Rio; she has been winning ever since and trying to build the kind of career that a double-gold medallist deserves. On Saturday night, in Atlantic City, she is fighting Christina Hammer, an undefeated veteran from Germany; the fight is a main event on Showtime, and Shields's promoter is claiming, plausibly, that this is "the biggest fight in women's boxing history." Each woman claims to be a champion at middleweight, a hundred and sixty pounds, and between them they have five championship belts from the four major organizations that recognize champions. These organizations, which collect fees from championship fights, are known for neither clarity nor fairness; one of them considers both Shields and Hammer to be champions, of a sort.
Shields in the ring, in Miami.Photograph by Mark Brown / Getty
Unlike some big fights, this one may well be competitive. Shields is the betting favorite, as she always has been, but these are the narrowest odds of her career. Part of why Shields is eager to do interviews is because she is trying to convince the country to pay attention to women's boxing—and to her. And this long campaign can only continue if she wins on Saturday night. In the radio studio, one of Sway's co-hosts asked Shields what viewers could expect on Saturday night. Shields smiled shyly. "A ass-kicking," she said, quietly. Later that day, in a wood-panelled dining room at Gallagher's, a venerable Theatre District steakhouse, Shields and Hammer came together for a joint press conference. Shields speaks softly but exuberantly, as if she can't help but say what she feels. Around Hammer, though, she grew exasperated, expressing a frustration that seemed partly feigned (for the sake of selling the fight) and partly not. "I can feel you shivering," Shields said, tapping her own chest. "I can hear your heartbeat, right now." Hammer, who is three inches taller than Shields, just smiled down at her.
It has been decades since the heyday of Christy Martin, who became a pioneering boxing star in the nineties, and Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad, who retired, undefeated, in 2007. Observers seeking to judge Shields's potential tend to compare her not to her predecessors in women's boxing but to Ronda Rousey, the mixed-martial-arts champion whose ferocity and excellence made her seem, for a few years, like the toughest woman on the planet. (Sports Illustrated, going further, called Rousey "THE WORLD'S MOST DOMINANT ATHLETE.") Rousey made her first twelve opponents quit or curl up and attained the kind of mainstream celebrity that typically eludes professional fighters, no matter their gender or sport. After a pair of losses, Rousey left M.M.A. to embark on a characteristically turbulent career in professional wrestling, and her celebrity does not seem to be transferable. Amanda Nunes, the woman who battered Rousey into retirement, is widely considered to be the greatest woman in the sport's history, but she hardly registers among the general public—at least not in America. (Nunes is from Brazil, where M.M.A. is a national obsession.)
Shields is constantly being compared to Rousey, and sometimes she seems frustrated that she has not drawn a similar fan base. "I've achieved double of what she have and I'm younger and the hate is off the charts," Shields recently wrote, on Twitter. (After all, Rousey's only Olympic medal was merely a bronze, in judo.) One difference, though, is the way that Shields wins. In her eight professional fights, she has looked neither unstoppable, the way Rousey once did, nor untouchable, the way Floyd Mayweather, Jr., usually did. Last summer, a boxer named Hanna Gabriels knocked Shields onto her backside in the first round; Shields recovered and won a wide decision, but the sight of Shields on the mat made it easier to wonder whether she is as good as she is supposed to be. She carries herself like a knockout artist (she has promised to "destroy" Hammer), and she sometimes fights like one, too, stalking her opponent face-first, with her hands down, swinging wide, as if she were a moment away from landing a decisive punch. But Shields has only two knockouts in her eight fights. In general, she brawls and then relies on the judges to name her the winner; this strategy can be ugly, and, given the occasionally unaccountable behavior of boxing judges, it may one day prove disastrous.
In the build-up to the fight, Hammer has sometimes embraced the role of the heel. She has trained while wearing a mouth guard that says "F**k Shields," and she can assume that the fans in Atlantic City will be rooting against her. In the pre-fight promotion, Hammer has often been cast as a glamorous European come to spoil the plans of a scrappy African-American. A Showtime promotional video captures Hammer receiving a sparkly golden robe with matching trunks and top, emblazoned with the name "Anita," an underwear company that is one of her sponsors. Then the scene cuts to Shields in an apartment, wearing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pajama pants, beaming like a little kid as her boyfriend presents her with a birthday cake.
Because there are fewer women fighting, and because those fights are often quite obscure, it can be hard to accurately assess the women's divisions. (Boxing is an unusually data-poor sport, because the contests are so rare and the metrics are so crude; women's boxing is particularly data-poor.) Hammer is 24–0, with eleven knockouts, despite the fact that she has fought twenty-five times. The discrepancy was caused by an odd occurrence, five years ago, when Hammer's opponent was disqualified for no good reason besides having had the temerity to punch Hammer in the head; the disqualification was later changed to a ruling of "no contest." Hammer seems to have a fluid jab, pretty good power, and, usually, a knack for staying away from her opponents' fists. Shields, of course, is not impressed. "She do not know how to fight on the inside, and she don't have balance on her legs," Shields said, at a joint press conference in late February. "Have fun working on that for six weeks."
Almost since the beginning of her career, Shields has been wondering what she needs to do to get paid like the top-earning male boxers do. Last year, Canelo Álvarez, the top Mexican star, signed a five-year contract reportedly worth three hundred and sixty-five million dollars; Shields still speaks wistfully of the chance to fight for a million dollars, one day. Beyond Hammer, there are few obvious big-name opponents who are Shields's size: Cecilia Brækhus, a Norwegian phenomenon (35–0), competes at a hundred and forty-seven pounds; Katie Taylor, a rising star from Ireland (13–0), competes at a hundred and thirty-five. The good news for Shields is also the bad news: when it comes to boxing compensation, there are no firm rules. What you can get depends largely upon who is willing to watch. Being great is necessary but not sufficient—and sometimes it's not even necessary, as in the case of Logan Paul and KSI, two YouTube celebrities who drew a big crowd, last summer, for an evening of gloved combat that bore a passing resemblance to boxing.
In her struggle for attention, Shields has plenty of assets, including an irresistible underdog story that has been told in innumerable articles and television segments, as well as a well-received documentary, which is currently being adapted into a feature film by the director Barry Jenkins. She is on friendly terms with Halle Berry and not-so-friendly terms with Serena Williams. She wears blue string in her braids in order to draw attention to the water crisis in her home town, Flint, Michigan. And she says that she is trying to heed the sage words of her manager, who gave her a simple tip to maximize her marketability: "Don't say the word 'fuck' on social media." By now, plenty of people have heard about Shields, and no doubt many of them are rooting for her. She just needs some of those people to do something that might seem rather perverse: spend Saturday night watching a boxing match.
Kelefa Sanneh has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 2008. He is the author of "Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres."
More:Boxing
A Ring of One's Own
Can a teen-age Olympic hopeful remake the image of women's boxing?
By Ariel Levy
Tyson Fury and Adonis Stevenson: A Shocking Night of Boxing
The swift demands for a rematch between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder reflect the ruthless logic of the boxing fan: having seen Fury return from the brink, we naturally want to see if he can do it again.
What Went Wrong in the Sewol Ferry Disaster?
Political backlash ensued after the tragic sinking of MV Sewol, which claimed the lives of over three-hundred passengers, most of whom were students, five years ago.


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Books, Comics & Magazines
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Share - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (Hardcover, 2008)
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (Hardcover, 2008)
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Soon to be a major motion picture, this heart-warming and inspirational tale follows Enzo, a loyal family dog, tells the story of his human family, how they nearly fell apart, and what he did to bring them back together. Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: he thinks and feels in nearly human ways. He has educated himself by watching extensive television, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo realizes that racing is a metaphor: that by applying the techniques a driver would apply on the race track, one can successfully navigate the ordeals and travails one encounters in life. Enzo relates the story of his human family through his eyes, sharing the tragedies and triumphs that Denny and his wife and child. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations as a dog, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family. The Art of Racing in the Rain is a testament to a man's life, given by his dog. But it is also a testament to the dog, himself. Though Enzo cannot speak, he understands everything that happens around him as he bears witness to his master's ordeal. His enforced muteness only refines his listening ability, and allows him to understand many of life's nuances that are lost on most humans. With humour, sharp observation, and a courageous heart, Enzo guides the reader to the bittersweet yet ultimately satisfying conclusion: there are no limitations to what we can achieve, if we truly know where we want to be.
The Art of Racing in the Rain
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by sarah652924 Jul, 2018
Recommended by a friend. A happy sad read. Dogs can teach us a lot
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The medieval Arabs took a keen interest in the study of heavens: partly because they considered the celestial bodies to be divine, partly because the dwellers of desert-regions often travelled at night, and relied upon knowledge of the constellations for guidance in their journeys. After the advent of Islam, the Muslims needed to determine the time of the prayers, the direction of the Kaaba, and the correct orientation of the mosque, all of which helped give a religious impetus to the study of astronomy and contributed towards the belief that the heavenly bodies were influential upon terrestrial affairs as well as the human condition. The science dealing with such influences was termed astrology (Arabic: علم النجوم Ilm an-Nujūm), a discipline contained within the field of astronomy (more broadly known as علم الفلك Ilm al-Falak 'the science of formation [of the heavens]'). The principles of these studies were rooted in Arabian, Persian, Babylonian, Hellenistic and Indian traditions and both were developed by the Arabs following their establishment of a magnificent observatory and library of astronomical and astrological texts at Baghdad in the 8th century.
Throughout the medieval period the practical application of astrology was subject to deep philosophical debate by Muslim religious scholars and scientists. Astrological prognostications nevertheless required a fair amount of exact scientific expertise and the quest for such knowledge within this era helped to provide the incentive for the study and development of astronomy.
Medieval Islamic astrology and astronomy continued Hellenistic and Roman era traditions based on Ptolemy's Almagest. Centres of learning in medicine and astronomy/astrology were set up in Baghdad and Damascus, and the Caliph Al-Mansur of Baghdad established a major observatory and library in the city, making it the world's astronomical centre. During this time knowledge of astronomy was greatly increased, and the astrolabe was invented by Al Fazari. Many modern star names are derived from their Arabic and Persian names. It's important to note that even the word star is Persian word often used as first name for girls pronounced in Persian Setareh.
Albumasur or Abu Ma'shar (805 - 885) was one of the most influential Islamic astrologers. His treatise Introductorium in Astronomiam (Kitab al-Mudkhal al-Kabīr) spoke of how '"only by observing the great diversity of planetary motions can we comprehend the unnumbered varieties of change in this world". The Introductorium was one of the first books to find its way in translation through Spain and into Europe in the Middle Ages, and was highly influential in the revival of astrology and astronomy there.
Persians also combined the disciplines of medicine and astrology by linking the curative properties of herbs with specific zodiac signs and planets. Mars, for instance, was considered hot and dry and so ruled plants with a hot or pungent taste, like hellebore, tobacco or mustard. These beliefs were adopted by European herbalists like Culpeper right up until the development of modern medicine.
The Persians also developed a system, by which the difference between the ascendant and each planet of the zodiac was calculated. This new position then became a 'part' of some kind. For example, the 'part of fortune' is found by taking the difference between the sun and the ascendant and adding it to the moon. If the 'part' thus calculated was in the 10th House in Libra, for instance, it suggested that money could be made from some kind of partnership.
The calendar introduced by Omar Khayyám Neyshabouri, based on the classical zodiac, remains in effect in Afghanistan and Iran as the official Persian calendar.
The Almagest, together with the original contributions of 9th to 10th century Persian astronomy such as the astrolabe, was introduced to Christian Europe beginning in the 11th century, by contact with Islamic Spain.
Another notable Persian astrologer and astronomer was Qutb al-Din al Shirazi born in Iran, Shiraz (1236–1311). He wrote critiques of Ptolemy's Almagest and produced two prominent works on astronomy: 'The Limit of Accomplishment Concerning Knowledge of the Heavens' in 1281 and 'The Royal Present' in 1284, both of which commented upon and improved on Ptolemy's work, particularly in the field of planetary motion. Al-Shirazi was also the first person to give the correct scientific explanation for the formation of a rainbow.
Ulugh Beyg was a fifteenth-century Timurid Sultan and also a mathematician and astronomer. He built an observatory in 1428 and produced the first original star map since Ptolemy, which corrected the position of many stars and included many new ones.
Some of the principles of astrology were refuted by several medieval Islamic astronomers such as Al-Farabi (Alpharabius), Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen), Avicenna, Abu Rayhan al-Biruni and Averroes. Their reasons for refuting astrology were often due to both scientific (the methods used by astrologers being conjectural rather than empirical) and religious (conflicts with orthodox Islamic scholars) reasons. However these refutations mainly concerned the judicial branches of astrology rather than the natural principles of it. For example, Avicenna's refutation of astrology (in the treatise titled Resāla fī ebṭāl aḥkām al-nojūm, Treatise against the rulings of the stars) revealed support for its overarching principles. He stated that it was true that each planet had some influence on the earth, but his argument was the difficulty of astrologers being able to determine the exact effect of it. In essence, Avicenna did not refute astrology, but denied man's limited capacity to be able to know the precise effects of the stars on the sublunar matter. With that, he did not refute the essential dogma of astrology, but only refuted our ability to fully understand it.
"And if you astrologers answer that it is precisely because of this distance and smallness that their influences are negligible, then why is it that you claim a great influence for the smallest heavenly body, Mercury? Why is it that you have given an influence to al-Ra's and al-Dhanab, which are two imaginary points [ascending and descending nodes]?"
Al-Jawziyya also recognized the Milky Way galaxy as "a myriad of tiny stars packed together in the sphere of the fixed stars" and thus argued that "it is certainly impossible to have knowledge of their influences."
"First of all, it is worth noting that the Persians knew astronomy a long time ago. They would predict time through observing the movements of stars. These terms are astronomy and astrology. Astronomy is the science that deals with studying the movements of the celestial bodies and reducing observations to mathematical order. That science is useful in determining time, seasons, the direction of Prayer, etc. Astrology, on the other hand, is concerned with studying the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs. Astrologists believe that the movements of stars have an influence on people's lives. Both Muslim astronomers and [religious] scholars refuse the prophecies of astrologists."
The Turkish government-sponsored Diyanet Vakfı, which represents the official Sunni view, likewise draws a distinction between astronomy and astrology, identifying the latter with non-Islamic influences on Arab culture, specifically Sabean and Hindu astrology. Astrology is seen as unscientific and conducive of a view of humans as helpless in the face of natural forces. Amongst the general population, however, astrology is popular, with most major newspapers running astrology columns.
↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wasim Aktar, Contributions of Ancient Arabian and Egyptian Scientists on Astronomy; Public Science & Reference, retrieved 19 August 2011.
Edward S. Kennedy. (1962). "Ramifications of the World Year Concept in Islamic Astrology". Ithaca 26 VIII-2 IX.
Edward S. Kennedy. (1998), Astronomy and Astrology in the Medieval Islamic World. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate.
This page was last modified on 17 December 2015, at 14:18.


Ardscoil na Mara is the only secondary school in Tramore, Co. Waterford and is under the trusteeship of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST). The newly built school opened its doors in 2014 on a new campus at Summerhill, Tramore following the amalgamation of Stella Maris and Christian Brothers secondary schools in Tramore.
Our school is a coeducational secondary school with state of the art facilities and has a current student population of 1186 students. As a Catholic school within the Edmund Rice School's Trust we strive to support and nourish the lives of those who are at the heart of our school – students, staff and parents. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum which endeavours to meet the needs of our diverse cohort of students in a safe, supportive and nurturing learning environment.
Our broad curriculum currently offers the Junior Certificate, Transition Year (TY) programme, the Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) and the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP).
Ardscoil na Mara's enthusiastic and dedicated teaching team are committed to the holistic development of every student in the Edmund Rice traditions. Our state examination results reflect our commitment to excellence in teaching and learning and the achievement of high academic standards. Regular reports, academic monitoring and an awards system are all part of the culture that encourages each student to achieve their personal best. In addition, students participate in a wide variety of co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
Our shared goal of respecting every student's right to learn is reflected in our school motto: 'Every student, Every Class, Every day'.
In Ardscoil na Mara, we work with our parents to enable and empower our students to grow and mature as young adults who will achieve their potential, be prepared to face life's challenges and live meaningful and purposeful lives. As our school develops, we do so mindful of our Christian ethos and philosophy, which informs our work in all aspects of school life. Should you choose to send your child to Ardscoil na Mara, we will ensure with your support, that they are taught in a manner that unlocks their academic potential, but also develops their spiritual, moral and human aspects of their character as set out in the ERST Charter.


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Is anyone listening to young people about climate change?
Marizel A. Urdiales, For the Express-News
Oct. 3, 2019 Updated: Oct. 3, 2019 7 p.m.
Marizel A. Urdiales
Young activists and their supporters rally for action on climate change on Sept. 27, in Montreal, Canada. The new generation of climate activists is not being heard
Minas Panagiotakis /Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
The total disrespect toward Greta Thunberg at the United Nations Climate Action Summit on Sept. 23 completely shook me.
Thunberg, a fellow member of what society has labeled Generation Z, is not simply an adolescent ranting against national leaders; her tears were a genuine cry for help because no other generation is listening.
Thunberg had the guts to not only attend the U.N. meeting but to openly share her passion by expressing the vulnerability we all feel when faced with the truth.
We are destroying our world. We are all responsible for bringing our existence closer to extinction. Mother Earth can no longer take all the garbage thrown at her daily. This is evident when we see the oceans sending our trash back to our shorelines.
Our generation was taught to respect our environment from an early age. In elementary school, I was a proud member of The Green Team — kids who volunteered to stay after school to pick up trash around the neighborhood. In high school, we were expected to toss our trash into the appropriate recycle bins. Now as young adults, eco-friendly foods have changed our thoughts on food consumption.
Thunberg said, "I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!"
Again, no one is listening.
And after her speech, President Donald Trump, tweeted, "very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future." I could see the dripping sarcasm.
It gets worse. On Fox News, Michael Knowles of the Daily Wire called her "a mentally ill Swedish child." The network later apologized. People who don't believe in global warming attacked her looks, even disrespecting her age.
As a young adult, I implore all generations to save our planet by doing simple things. When you go grocery shopping, use recycled bags, not plastic bags. Consider buying jeans and T-shirts from thrift stores. I usually buy at local Goodwill stores and save tons of money.
Next, eat a low-carbon diet. I recently became a vegan and have lost more than 40 pounds simply by eating more fruits and vegetables, and avoiding meat. Carpool or walk with friends. Grow your own vegetables.
I'm making an effort to fight climate change by following the three simple "R's of Responsibility" learned in elementary school — recycle, reuse and reduce.
Saving our existence doesn't take much. All it takes is a little listening and a whole lot of love for us, each other and our planet.
Marizel A. Urdiales is a journalism major at Northwest Vista College and a member of the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success.


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How Much Total Money is Actually Made from March Madness?
There is no doubt that March Madness is something that almost everyone is at least somewhat familiar with. Even if you don't actually participate in it, bet on it, watch it, or have much of anything to do with it, there is every chance that you're at least sort of familiar with what March Madness refers to. That's how important it really is. If you have somehow managed to be in the dark all this time, it refers to a time of year when college basketball teams are involved in playoffs. It generates all kinds of excitement, usually getting people to watch the playoff games when they don't even normally watch basketball in the first place. It also does something else. It generates a tremendous amount of money. If you're wondering how, the majority of it comes through betting. The rest happens as the result of ticket purchases as well as merchandise. If you're curious to see how much money there really is to be made off of March Madness, you can follow this guide that breaks it all down.
One thing must be understood here. If you even remotely believe that there's not a lot of money involved in March Madness simply because it's college teams that are playing instead of professional teams, think again. It doesn't matter if it's college or professional, there's always money to be made in Las Vegas when it comes to betting. That's where all of the sports-betting is handled, essentially because it's legal there. They have bookmakers out there that literally keep records on just about every type of competition under the sun, ranging from basketball to horse racing and everything in between. As it turns out, people love to bet and if given the opportunity, they will find a way to bet money on some of the silliest things you've ever heard. Imagine betting on whether or not it will be sunny or rainy when a particular game takes place, not to mention how many minutes into the game the first 3-pointer will occur. These are not things that are made up. It's all part of the process and it creates a tremendous amount of money.
In reality, college is really not that much different from the professional teams. At the very core of it all, it's always about making money. That's because money is the thing that makes it possible to function within the world. A college can have the best educational program in the world, but without money, they close their doors. The same is true with virtually everything else in life. You can have the best of intentions, but if you don't find a way to bring in the money, it probably won't do you any good. Colleges just have a different way of going about it than professional teams, largely because of NCAA regulations that place limits on the types of things they can do in order to generate income. That being said, it certainly doesn't stop the general public from betting on their favorite team or virtually anything else related to a game that's played during March Madness. If you're still in doubt, keep reading the find out how some of the numbers actually break down.
Betting on March Madness
Think about it this way. When was the last time that you were approached by someone in your office, asking you to bet on the team that would eventually win March Madness? Maybe you participated in brackets, yet there was some money behind it. If that's the case, then you're part of the betting public, whether you actually think about it in those terms or not. Last year, it was estimated that more than 10 billion dollars was made on through betting on March Madness alone. The thing that's really stunning is that the overwhelming majority of this money is actually made it legally. That doesn't necessarily mean that people are setting out with the intention of doing something wrong. For the most part, many individuals don't really stop to think about the possibility that what they're doing is illegal. There's a reason that so much betting takes place in Las Vegas, and that's because it's legal to bet there. That being said, there's an overwhelming number of states where betting is considered an illegal activity. That friendly office bet that has turned into something of a rivalry between friends just might be illegal. Chances are, you never thought about it that way. The truth of the matter is that almost everyone has bet on something at some point in their lives, even if it was only five or ten dollars. Most of the time, these are friendly bets among friends or coworkers and it's hard to remember that you might be participating in something that isn't legally allowed in your state.
What should you take away from all of this? In short, if you plan on betting on anything concerning March Madness or anything else for that matter, make sure that betting is legal in your state before you do it, not after the fact. There's nothing wrong with having that office bracket where everyone's trying to figure out who will eventually win. Putting money behind it is a different matter entirely. If you're worried about whether or not what you're doing is legal, do some research that's specific to your state. You might be able to bet on a particular game by going through the bookmakers in Las Vegas or you might be out of luck altogether. It all depends on where you live. Nevertheless, it doesn't change the fact that more than 10 billion dollars will probably be made on the next round of March Madness in 2019. In reality, those numbers are probably a lot higher, because some people who bet illegally are obviously not going to admit that they did.
If you stop and think about it for a minute, the amount of money involved just with the betting aspect alone is staggering. If ten billion dollars was made off of betting that could be tracked last year alone, imagine all the dollars that exchanged hands that no one ever found out about. In reality, that number could probably be realistically doubled or even tripled, but it's impossible to know for sure because all of those little office pools that take place as side bets in states where betting is illegal go unreported. That still doesn't change the fact that money will be made and lost off of March Madness in virtually every city in every state in the country, regardless of whether or not it's legal to do so. That is the reality of the situation. It's also not the only way that money is generated off of this event.
NCAA Revenue
If you think gambling is the only way that money is made from March Madness, you would be sorely mistaken. As a matter of fact, the NCAA itself is not allowed to make revenue from gambling in any capacity. That goes back to those strict regulations that were touched on earlier. However, there are plenty of other ways that the organization can make money. In the end, they're just like everyone else. They have to find a way to bring in revenue in order to continue to exist as an organization. Without money, this is an organization that would essentially dry up and blow away, just like any other entity would without some cold, hard cash. It's widely reported that within the NCAA, they make up to 90 percent of their yearly revenue on March Madness alone. That's both amazing and somewhat terrifying, all at the same time. It really puts things in perspective when you're thinking about how popular March Madness is, especially when you consider that all but 10 percent of the NCAA's yearly revenue is made from this alone. It's also a little terrifying from a business standpoint, because they're doing exactly what your parents and grandparents probably taught you not to do, putting all of their eggs in one basket, so to speak. In other words, they are relying on the continued popularity of March Madness in order to continue to exist as an organization. If anything were to go wrong with that particular business model, there would be serious consequences, to say the least. In the private sector, this would be a recipe for disaster but the NCAA has been making it work for a number of years now.
Just exactly how do they generate all of that revenue in the span of 30 days? The most obvious way that they generate revenue is through the sales of tickets. They depend heavily on good attendance for each and every event that takes place throughout the duration of March Madness and more often than not, they get exactly what they want. In most cases, March Madness events are sold out well in advance. They also cost a lot more than your standard college basketball game, so if you plan on going to one, be prepared to shell out a few hundred dollars (or more) in order to get your hands on that prized seat. Of course, there's a lot more to the revenue that's generated by March Madness than just ticket sales. You might even go as far as saying that the NCAA's revenue has three major points to it, with attendance being only one of those points.
The other two ways that they make money involve fees charged to the media in order to gain rights to replay sections of the games and through corporate sponsorships. Obviously, corporations want to get in on the action. This is an extremely popular activity that almost the entire nation becomes enthralled in. It only makes sense for corporations to have a desire to be involved. For them, the bottom line is the same. They want to make more money. If they can get behind the whole idea of March Madness and convince fans to purchase their products because they sponsor a portion of the event, then everybody wins. The NCAA gets a hefty payday for allowing such sponsorships and the corporation in question has the opportunity to increase sales of their products or services by leaps and bounds. The general public has a tendency to purchase things that they can identify with. Therefore, if a specific corporation comes in and sponsors March Madness, dedicated basketball fans are more likely to buy that particular brand. This involves simple research about marketing that's been widely available for years and it's been proven time and time again.
What about selling rights to the media in order to replay parts of the game? You have probably been watching the news once or twice when someone said that they would like to show you highlights of a specific game but they weren't allowed to. There's a relatively simple reason for this. It's because they don't have the rights from the parent organization to show you those highlights. Remember, money makes the world go round and round. Without it, nothing gets done. Therefore, news organizations have to pay the NCAA for rights to show clips during their newscast. The individual price varies from city to city and event to event, but the NCAA makes a hefty sum of money off of this, especially during March Madness.
You already know that at least 10 billion dollars were made from gambling on March Madness last year alone. When you add in ticket sales, media rights and those all-important corporate sponsorships, you're looking at adding an additional one billion dollars do the NCAA's coffers. That brings the recorded total to 11 billion dollars, and that's just for one year. There's no doubt that it will go up this coming March, as prices have a tendency to steadily increase for just about everything.
The next time you're watching a game during March Madness and you think it's just a game, stop and think about the enormous amount of money that is involved behind it all. March Madness is an event that generates the interest of almost everyone in the United States and in some cases, beyond. The money to be made there is something that eclipses even the wildest dreams of most individuals. March Madness is much more than just a series of basketball games. In reality, it is its own money making machine that generates enough revenue for the NCAA to continue operating for the next year.
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