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Fayette County sheriff's canine unit seizes 60 pounds of marijuana
Chalk up another drug bust for Lobos, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office canine who with his handler, Deputy Randy Thumann, discovered about 60 pounds of marijuana in a spare tire of a pickup, authorities said in a statement.
The pair on Friday stopped a 2013 Dodge truck on Interstate 10 near Engle around 10 a.m. for a traffic violation, the statement said. The deputy talked to the driver and passenger and got permission to search the vehicle, the sheriff's office said.
Border sheriff calls out inaccurate cartel reporting
Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra has called out the inaccurate reporting done by the Daily Mail for a story about life on the Texas border. The sheriff's office claims public information officer J.P. Rodriguez was wrongfully quoted for statements that he did not make and that the staff never discussed "events on the border."
What 1 sheriff thinks about the largest release of federal prisoners ever
Sometime between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, something unprecedented will happen at the nation's federal prisons — he largest one-time release of federal prisoners in U.S. history. The first 6,000 of an expected 46,000 federal prison inmates will be released in that four day window. It's the result of a downward revision in mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders, a change that's being made retroactively.
According to The Washington Post, 2,000 inmates — one-third of the first inmates to be released — are, in the words of a justice department official, "foreign citizens who will be quickly deported." A.J. "Andy" Louderback, sheriff of Jackson County and legislative director of the Sheriff's Association of Texas, is raising a red flag. He says sheriffs across the state are always going to be concerned at the local level whenever there's this type of action by the federal government.
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Operation Cross Country: Recovering victims of child sex trafficking
Operation Cross Country, a nationwide law enforcement action that took place last week and focused on underage victims of prostitution, has concluded with the recovery of 149 sexually exploited children and the arrests of more than 150 pimps and other individuals.
Police defend use of taser on Texas councilman
Police officials in a small, predominantly black Texas college town are defending the decision to use a stun gun on a city council member when he intervened as officers questioned his friends outside his apartment. The video out of Prairie View is raising questions about police use of force. A councilman is seen getting tased while on his knees and with his back to officers. Police say he was resisting arrest.
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7 tips for building a diverse workforce
PoliceOne.com
The majority of citizens don't care about the race of the officer who shows up when they call as long as they are treated with respect. However, departments across the country are being pressed to hire workforces that are reflective of the communities they serve.
Police body cams show dramatic rescue of undocumented immigrants in Texas
KSTU-TV
Dramatic footage shows police officers responding to 39 undocumented immigrants who were crammed into the back of a semitrailer and seemingly in distress last month, and officers responded after someone observed the people and driver and called 911.
Law Enforcement Consultants
Former sheriffs, including a SAT past president, help TAC Risk Management Pool member counties reduce their law enforcement operations liabilities and exposures. New territory map online.
Gun debate divides nation's police officers, too
After the recent mass shooting in Roseburg, Oregon, the national media gave a lot of attention to the fact that the local sheriff, John Hanlin, is an ardent supporter of gun rights. He'd written a letter to Vice President Joe Biden shortly after the Dec. 14, 2012, massacre of schoolchildren at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, saying gun control was not the answer. In the letter, Hanlin pledged not to enforce gun regulations he believed to be unconstitutional.
5 phases of the active shooter: A tactical reload
The question is continually asked after every active shooter event: "Can we do anything to prevent this insanity?" The answer is, "We can't prevent them all, but we can prevent many if more people understood the Five Phases of the Active Shooter." Lives can be saved if the shooter is interrupted during the first four of the five phases these killers generally pass through.
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Texas Sheriffs Today
Colby Horton, Vice President of Publishing, 469.420.2601
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Delhi Manali Delhi Volvo Tour.
Journey start from Delhi ISBT Kashmiri Gate and move to Manali by Volvo overnight journey, when you reach at Manali set amidst pine-clad mountains, which gradually close in on both sides of the Beas and nestling in their shade, as though carved out of primeval forest, is a scattered hamlet, which comprises this picturesque resort. Arrive & check in at pre-booked hotel.
This day you may take a Local tour of Manali, visiting the 450 years old temple dedicated to Hadimba Devi, which has some excellent woodcarving. You also visit the Tibetan Monastery, Van Viharika, Mall Road and the handicraft centre. The rest of the day at leisure OR walk to the nearby picturesque village of Vashisht known for its hot sulphur springs. Stay overnight at Manali.
This morning you visit the Solang Valley and the not to be missed Rohtang Pass (as per possible), 51 km from Manali at an altitude of 3978 meters (subject to weather conditions). On the way you you will enjoy Gulaba and Water Fall in evening back to Manali and Overnight stay at Manali.
After breakfast move to kullu enjoy rafting & sightseeing & back to Manali. Check -out from hotel & start your journey back to Delhi with sweet memories of Manali Tour.


Clintwood, VA, population 1,493, is located in Virginia's Dickenson county, about 115.7 miles from Knoxville and 126.2 miles from Lexington.
It is estimated that in the first 5 years of the past decade the population of Clintwood has declined by about 2%. Since 2005 Clintwood's population has declined by about 1%.
Clintwood's property crime levels tend to be lower than Virginia's average level. The same data shows violent crime levels in Clintwood tend to be much lower than Virginia's average level.


Owner: Washington Cold Storage Inc.
Features: Washington Cold Storage – comprised of two facilities – is a strategically located for quick and easy truck access to major highway systems. National customers find the facility convenient for product distribution to all points in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada.


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Trump, Sanders look to emerge from New Hampshire with wins
AP , Tuesday 9 Feb 2016
Town moderator Leslie Schoof casts a ballot for a resident in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary at town hall in Hart's Location, New Hampshire, February 9, 2016 (Photo: Reuters)
Trump accuses Cruz of fraud in Iowa, demands re-vote
Rubio leads Republican mainstream lane after Iowa
Republican Cruz tops Trump in Iowa presidential race, Clinton and Sanders tie
Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders hope to emerge from New Hampshire's primary Tuesday with their first wins of the 2016 presidential campaign, victories that would lend needed credibility to the unexpected contenders' pursuit of their parties' nomination.
Trump leads a Republican field that has been in flux in the final days of campaigning across snowy New Hampshire. A rocky debate performance by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has jeopardized his chance to pull away from a trio of governors and firmly establish himself as the chief rival to Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
In the two-person race for the Democratic nomination, Sanders has held an advantage over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire for weeks. The state is friendly territory for the Vermont senator and a must-win if he's to have a chance of staying competitive with Clinton as the race moves to more diverse states that are seen as more hospitable to the former secretary of state.
"We're running a very radical campaign because we are telling the American people the truth and that's something that is not often told in the political world," Sanders said Monday as he urged supporters to help him pull out a win. The senator finished second to Clinton in the leadoff Iowa caucuses by the narrowest of margins.
The New Hampshire primary traditionally plays a pivotal role by providing momentum to the winners heading into the next contests in South Carolina and Nevada. Those candidates who fare poorly could see donations dry up and face pressure to withdraw from the race. In the last 10 elections, the winner of the Republican primary went on to become the eventual nominee eight times; on the Democratic side, seven winners went on to become nominees.
The first ballots of the first primary election of -in-the-nation primary were cast early Tuesday in the tiny town of Dixville in northern New Hampshire. Sanders won over all four Democratic voters in the town, while Ohio Gov. John Kasich sneaked past Trump, 3-2, among Republicans.
The enthusiasm behind Trump, a real estate mogul who has never held political office or run in an election, and Sanders, an avowed democratic socialist, underscore the public's anger with the current political system. Even if neither candidate ultimately becomes their party's nominee, those who do will have to reckon with the voter frustration they've tapped into.
After finishing behind Cruz in last week's leadoff Iowa caucuses, Trump has spent the past week both protesting that result and stepping up more traditional campaign activities. While he's long preferred large rallies, he spent the final full day of campaigning holding some smaller town hall events.
Trump did get in a shot at Cruz during a massive rally in Manchester Monday night. When an audience member shouted out an insult directed at Cruz — a vulgar term for "coward" — Trump repeated the term and jokingly reprimanded the woman.
The large Republican field was winnowed after Iowa, but there remains a crowded grouping of more traditional candidates, including Rubio. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have all staked their White House bids on New Hampshire, hoping a strong showing here will lead voters — and crucial financial donors — to give their candidacies another look.
Rubio appeared to be breaking away from the governors after a stronger-than-expected third-place showing in Iowa, but stumbled in Saturday's debate under intense pressure from Christie. The New Jersey governor has relentlessly cast the young senator as too inexperienced and too reliant on memorized talking points to become president.
Rubio played into Christie's hands by responding with the same well-rehearsed line each time he was challenged by the governor. Rival campaigns hope the moment was enough to give voters pause about supporting Rubio when they head to the polls on Tuesday.
In his final swing through the state Monday, Christie urged voters to pick a candidate who "has the maturity, and the steadiness, and the aggression to protect our country and put us back in the right spot."
Kasich, who has prided himself on avoiding attacks on his rivals, said he hoped New Hampshire voters are "fed up with the negative."
If Rubio and the governors finish in a pack Tuesday, it's likely to frustrate Republican Party elites who are eager to coalesce around a single more mainstream candidate to challenge Trump and Cruz. Some party leaders believe both Trump and Cruz are unelectable in the general election, especially if Clinton is the Democratic nominee.
Despite the expectations of a loss in New Hampshire, Clinton has campaigned aggressively in the state to try to narrow the gap with Sanders, enabling her to put a positive spin on the outcome. Amid her rallies and town hall events, she's knocked on voters' doors and made surprise visits to local coffee shops and restaurants.
"I am thrilled to be here the day before the first in the nation primary to make my final push to convince as many Granite staters as possible to come out and vote for me," Clinton said during a stop in Manchester on Monday.
Behind Clinton's upbeat demeanor, however, are growing concerns within her campaign about her standing with young people, who are flocking to Sanders. Some Clinton supporters also fear she isn't doing as well with female voters as she should be, a concern that was magnified after high-profile women backing her campaign made eyebrow-raising comments that appeared to disparage young women supporting Sanders.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Professor John Gunstad of the Department of Psychological Sciences at Kent State University, talks about his revolutionary research on the effect of losing weight to the brain.
According to professor Gunstad, during the first week of the switch into a healthy diet, losing weight may come easy. However, as the metabolism adapts, fewer calories get burned, too. It means that by then, losing more weight will become more challenging as well.
Additionally, as body fats melt, an increase in appetite will follow. It's because the fat cells release a hormone called leptin into the bloodstream. Leptin surge consequences to the brain signals that tell us we're already full and we should stop eating. Therefore, when a person loses weight, a great measure of leptin goes down as well.
In the research, brain scans were performed to obese patients who were starting to lose 10% of their weight. The scans showed that as the amount of leptin decreases, regions that are responsible for our desire to eat become active.
The problem doesn't end there. People who experience a decrease in the levels of their leptin may start to feel stronger urges to eat fatty, high-calorie foods. Because the brain is trying to recover the lost amount of leptin in the body, it demands for more fatty foods.
Still, resisting the temptation to eat high-calorie grubs will bring valuable rewards over time. Saying no to your favorite pizza and donut has a bigger impact on your body.
Losing weight reduces the risk for heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. Furthermore, researchers have discovered that overweight people who lose one pound of their body weight, reduce four pounds of pressure on their knee joints.
Weight loss also improves overall brain function, as it reduces the strain on the blood vessels. Thus, blood flow to the brain improves.
In other studies, researchers have found out, the people who underwent weight loss surgeries have improved memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills within just three months.
Additionally, the brain scans of people who lost weight and managed to maintain it for 9 months, showed that the brain responds differently to high-calorie foods compared to before they lose weight.
The regions for reward, motivation and taste didn't react strongly. Rather, it's the areas that process self-control become active.
Discipline and self-control pay off when it comes to the fighting temptations for unhealthy food. Just like anything else, eliminating a few pounds gets easier through time and practice.


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The Macron effect
By Geoffroy Lenoir 31 May 2018
Emmanuel Macron has implemented a swathe of reforms since his election as President of France in May 2017, but further challenges lie ahead to revitalise the economy.
In the year since becoming the youngest ever President of France, Emmanuel Macron has looked to exploit his overwhelming parliamentary majority and a major shift in public attitudes to push through reforms previous leaders have attempted in vain. Macron's government has already eased labour regulations, abolished the wealth tax on assets, simplified capital gains tax, and reformed and cut corporation tax. However, key battles lie ahead.
The French economy has certainly improved since Macron walked through the doors of the Élysée Palace. The economy grew by 2.2 per cent in 2017, the fastest growth rate since 20071&2. Admittedly, growth has slowed in 2018 but that may prove a temporary blip, reflecting harsh weather in the first quarter3. Meanwhile, the budget deficit fell below three percent for the first time in a decade in 20174 and foreign direct investment also reached a 10-year high5.
While it would be generous to give Macron all the credit for the pick up in growth or fall in the budget deficit, a sharp improvement in business sentiment following his election augurs well, says Larissa Brunner, Western Europe analyst for Oxford Analytica, a consultancy. Macron has said it will take 18 months to two years before the impact of the reforms will be seen and that most will only be effective in the medium to long term.
Reforms on track?
Macron's current battle to reform the debt-ridden national state-owned railway SNCF will prove pivotal to his presidency, says Geoffroy Lenoir, head of European sovereign rates, Aviva Investors. "The government needs to disengage from SNCF and make sure it is competitive given the company's domestic passenger rail monopoly will come to an end soon under European Union rules," says Lenoir.
Macron has proposed ending job security, early retirement (workers can retire as early as 52 due to rules introduced in the much more physically-demanding steam age) and special pensions. But these reforms would only apply to new recruits. The country's powerful rail unions responded to these relatively modest measures by launching a series of rolling strikes, which began in April.
Comparisons have been made with 1995, when paralysing strikes forced the conservative government of Prime Minister Alain Juppé to backtrack over welfare and pension reforms. However, Brunner believes Margaret Thatcher's showdown with the mineworkers in the 1980s could prove a better parallel.
"Like Thatcher, Macron can't afford to back down. His credibility would be destroyed and the opportunity to implement further reforms would disappear; he would be a lame duck for the reminder of his term," argues Brunner.
Fortunately for Macron, he could be taking on organised labour at an opportune time.
"People backed the unions when Juppé tried to implement reforms," says Frédéric Tassin, head of equities, Aviva Investors France. "Today, most French people do not understand why strikes are taking place and want the disruption to end. The fact Macron encountered little opposition when he introduced laws making it much easier to fire workers highlights the shift in mood."
A poll released by the French Institute of Public Opinion on 20 May showed 58 percent of respondents thought the strikes were "completely" or "rather" unjustified, while nearly two-thirds wanted Macron to continue "all the way" with his policy changes6.
Tassin believes a profound change in overall attitudes to the economy is taking place. "France is a very conservative country where people don't like to take risks," he says. "Today many graduates are now creating start-ups rather than seeking to work for a large company or the public sector, and banks are adapting, making it easier for entrepreneurs to access finance. That trend will drive the country in a different direction over the next 10 years."
Macron's promise to transform France into a 'nation of start-ups' seems to be coming to fruition. Total new business creations per month have increased from under 48,000 in April 2017 to nearly 56,000 in April 20187. Reforming the unemployment benefit system is another target for Macron. "That should not prove controversial as it won't require sacrifices by workers but will help freelancers and others in the 'gig economy'", says Brunner. Macron also wants to reform the system so that incentives are structured to encourage people to return to work as quickly as possible.
But reform of the highly-fragmented mandatory pension system, another item on Macron's agenda, could prove much more difficult. "That will require some to make sacrifices," argues Brunner. Private sector and public sector pension regimes currently differ in terms of the retirement age and how benefits are determined. Macron has pledged that workers' contributions solely should determine monthly pension benefits and not their profession or sector.
Tackling the government's finances is likely to prove Macron's biggest domestic challenge, however. Government spending continues to rise, even though the public sector already accounts for nearly 56 per cent of GDP8.
"That is simply too high a level and means many initiatives, such as dramatically cutting taxes, are impossible. Even though Macron has cut corporate taxes, the overall tax burden is higher, particularly for the middle classes. That hampers the ability of individuals to consume and corporates to invest," says Tassin.
"Macron promised that public spending will have fallen as a percentage of GDP by the time he leaves office and that will prove a key test of whether his administration can be regarded as a success," he adds.
Nevertheless, Macron's relatively positive progress to date means France's appeal to investors is increasing. "The mood among domestic and foreign equity investors across all sectors of the economy has improved," says Tassin. The country's CAC 60 large-cap index outperformed both Germany's Dax and the pan-European Euro Stoxx 50 over Macron's first year in office9.
Meanwhile, French government bonds offer "fair value" to investors, according to Lenoir. "The spread between French government bonds and bunds has tightened since Macron's election, but the same could be said of Portuguese and Spanish bonds," says Lenoir, while adding that reducing government debt – which reached 97 per cent of GDP in 201710 – remains a key issue.
However, Macron's ability to drive European political integration, which would be positive for sovereign debt, could ultimately define his presidency, adds Lenoir. Macron's proposals include the creation of a eurozone budget, a finance minister, a single deposit-guarantee fund to complete the banking union and tax harmonisation, which would pave the way for the eventual pooling of eurozone debt. The question now is whether Macron can persuade Germany, the bloc's largest and most significant contributor, to agree.
1 'French growth revised upwards', Reuters, 15 March 2018
2 'Economic growth revised upwards', AFP, 15 May 2018
3 'Growth slips', AFP, 27 April 2018
4 'French deficit falls below three per cent', Reuters, 26 March 2018
5 'Foreign investments in France hit 10-year high', Radio France Internationale
6 'Macron is winning public opinion', The Wall Street Journal, 21 May 2018
7 'Measuring France under Macron', Reuters, 3 May 2018
8 '2017 Article IV Consultation Press Release', IMF, September 2017
9 'French momentum marks Macron anniversary', Financial Times, 7 May 2018
10 'France government debt to GDP', Trading Economics, May 2018
Geoffroy Lenoir
Head of Euro Sovereign Rates
Except where stated as otherwise, the source of all information is Aviva Investors Global Services Limited (Aviva Investors) as at 29 May 2018. Unless stated otherwise any view sand opinions are those of Aviva Investors. They should not be viewed as indicating any guarantee of return from an investment managed by Aviva Investors nor as advice of any nature. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but has not been independently verified by Aviva Investors and is not guaranteed to be accurate. Past performance is not a guide to the future. The value of an investment and any income from it may go down as well as up and the investor may not get back the original amount invested. Nothing in this document, including any references to specific securities, assets classes and financial markets is intended to or should be construed as advice or recommendations of any nature. This document is not a recommendation to sell or purchase any investment.
In the UK & Europe this document has been prepared and issued by Aviva Investors Global Services Limited, registered in England No.1151805. Registered Office: St. Helen's, 1 Undershaft, London, EC3P 3DQ. Authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. Contact us at Aviva Investors Global Services Limited, St. Helen's, 1 Undershaft, London, EC3P 3DQ. Telephone calls to Aviva Investors may be recorded for training or monitoring purposes. In Singapore, this document is being circulated by way of an arrangement with Aviva Investors Asia Pte. Limited for distribution to institutional investors only. Please note that Aviva Investors Asia Pte. Limited does not provide any independent research or analysis in the substance or preparation of this document. Recipients of this document are to contact Aviva Investors Asia Pte. Limited in respect of any matters arising from, or in connection with, this document. Aviva Investors Asia Pte. Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of Singapore with registration number200813519W, holds a valid Capital Markets Services Licence to carry out fund management activities issued under the Securities and Futures Act (Singapore Statute Cap. 289) and Asian Exempt Financial Adviser for the purposes of the Financial Advisers Act (Singapore Statute Cap.110). Registered Office: 1Raffles Quay, #27-13 South Tower, Singapore 048583.In Australia, this document is being circulated by way of an arrangement with Aviva Investors Pacific Pty Ltd for distribution to wholesale investors only. Please note that Aviva Investors Pacific Pty Ltd does not provide any independent research or analysis in the substance or preparation of this document. Recipients of this document are to contact Aviva Investors Pacific Pty Ltd in respect of any matters arising from, or in connection with, this document. Aviva Investors Pacific Pty Ltd, a company incorporated under the laws of Australia with Australian Business No. 87 153 200 278 and Australian Company No. 153 200 278, holds an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL 411458) issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Business Address: Level 30, Collins Place, 35 Collins Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000
The name "Aviva Investors" as used in this presentation refers to the global organization of affiliated asset management businesses operating under the Aviva Investors name. Each Aviva investors' affiliate is a subsidiary of Aviva plc, a publicly- traded multi-national financial services company headquartered in the United Kingdom. Aviva Investors Canada, Inc. ("AIC") is located in Toronto and is registered with the Ontario Securities Commission ("OSC") as a Portfolio Manager, an Exempt Market Dealer, and a Commodity Trading Manager. Aviva Investors Americas LLC is a federally registered investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Aviva Investors Americas is also a commodity trading advisor ("CTA") and commodity pool operator ("CPO") registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"), and is a member of the National Futures Association ("NFA"). AIA's Form ADV Part 2A, which provides background information about the firm and its business practices, is available upon written request to: Compliance Department, 225 West Wacker Drive, Suite 2250, Chicago, IL 60606
RA18/0573/01052019
Could the euro zone periphery head off the rails again?
2 Apr. 2019
Almost a decade on from the sovereign debt crisis, we explore whether the euro zone's peripheral economies have materially improved or old vulnerabilities will again become apparent as growth slows.
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Kevin graduated from UC Davis in 2005 in Biology with an emphasis in Neurology and Physiology. He has been an athlete his whole life playing in sports such as baseball, basketball, soccer and golf. Since 1998 Kevin has developed extensive knowledge of the VERT Isokinetic machines and how to integrate their workouts into sports fitness. He began his duties within the medical billing department and by developing cardinal knowledge in both medical insurance and VERT machines worked his way up to becoming the general manager of VERT.


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As suggested by its name, Triplet has three QST (Quarter-Square Triangle) units. You will find instructions for these units on our tutorial page and can download the instructions for the block here.
This is another block that on its own, set edge to edge, all the same colouring doesn't look too interesting, but change the colours around a bit and rotate the blocks or set them on point and you start to develop something a liitle more exciting.
This entry was posted in beginners patchwork, free pattern, machine piecing, patchwork patterns, tutorials and tagged beginners' patchwork, free pattern, nine-patch block, quilt blocks, simple patchwork on July 22, 2015 by Chris.


DOES CLOUD COMPUTING SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTRES?
The expected outcome of this article is to enable the System Planners, System Analysts,Managers, Technologists and Librarians to identify the advantages and disadvantages of cloud-based solutions for their libraries. This article explains in detail about the Concept of Cloud Computing and the areas where we can use the Cloud Computing in the Library and Information Centres. The services, deployment models and strategies, the method of deployment, service delivery are explained here. This article strives to represent to promote the current progress and future trends of cloud computing and its impact on Libraries and Information Centres by providing a reference for further research.


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Miley Cyrus: 10 Ways To Get Ur Good On For Anti-Bullying Month
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and Miley Cyrus, Get Ur Good On, and Youth Service America are encouraging everyone to take an active role in preventing bullying.
Miley wrote about her experiences being bullied in her autobiography Miles To Go and often speaks out against bullying. There are so many news stories about the effects of bullying on young people; make sure we do not read another story about a young person being physically and mentally abused by their peers.
Join Miley, her friend Emily Osment, and many more to take a stand against bullying! View this list of 10 Ways to Get Ur Good On for anti-bullying:
Educate yourself and peers about bullying. Check out these tools from StopBullying.gov: recognize warning signs, find out how to deal, and where to get help.
Write a song about bullying, perform it and share the video with friends, family and on GetUrGoodOn.org. Brother-sister duo Michael and Marissa hope their anti-bullying song, The Same, inspires people to treat each other better.
Take a stand! Tell friends to stop gossiping about other people and spreading rumors. Do not be afraid to stop verbal bullying.
Sign the Pacer Center's Teens Against Bullying petition – "The end of bullying begins with me."
Miley's good friend and former Hannah Montana co-star, Emily Osment, recently stared in the ABC Family movie Cyberbully. Join her and other ABC Family stars in raising awareness about cyberbullying. Get the Delete Digital Drama badge for Facebook and Twitter and act on it – don't post negative, mean, or hurtful comments on social media accounts or via email.
Love to write? Submit an article to the school newspaper on how students can prevent bullying. Find information on how to get started here.
Join Glee's Jane Lynch and Lauren Potter to spread the word to end the word. Do not use the r-word and tell friends and family members to do the same.
October 12th is Unity Day! Wear orange to raise awareness and show support to end bullying. Ask a teacher to help present this idea to the principal and encourage all students to wear orange too.
Support LGBT youth dealing with bullying and train to become a Lifeline Counselor for The Trevor Project.
Read about risk factors and at risk groups for teen violence. Use this information to prevent physical violence among friends and classmates.
Lauren Potter
Get Ur Good On
On Sunday, Jan 26, iconic music legend and humanitarian Steven Tyler will present his third GRAMMY Awards Viewing Party to benefit Janie's Fund, presented by Live Nation, at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. More →
Jane Lynch, Melissa Benoist, Wayne Brady, Marcia Cross, and More Take The Stage at CONCERT FOR AMERICA Oct 3, 2019
CONCERT FOR AMERICA To Benefit the National Immigration Law Center Sep 17, 2019
Adopt The Art Campaign Pitch With Jane Lynch and Matt Sorum
Live Real Change
Justin Bieber And Miley Cyrus Speak Out For World Wish Day
The Trevor Project PSA with Daniel Radcliffe


Daybreak Morning Blend gets you up and out on the right side of the bed. Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Colombian, and just a hint of Ethiopian beans are roasted to chocolate brown for this light re-energizer. Unassuming and cheering, this coffee starts sweetly and quietly in the mouth and leaves you with fruity, nutty hints after each sip. Perfect for slow mornings or those days you have to rush to work! Daybreak Morning Blend is a Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee.


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4. 14. 16 by Todd Jaquith
/Off World
NASA's Newest Project: Sailing Into Interstellar Space
NASA hopes to get to the edge of the solar system using a sail that's 1200 sq/km (744 sq/mi) in size.
/ Off World/ Heliopause/ Interstellar Travel/ New Horizons
Image by Ryan Whitwam
The idea of shirking the suddenly very confining bonds of our Solar System has been much in the news of late. Just recently, Stephen Hawking and Russian billionaire Yuri Milner announced "Breakthrough Starshot," a kind of seed venture seeking to understand the engineering challenges posed by interstellar travel.
Now, NASA's developing its own plans for getting a spacecraft to the edge of the Solar System and beyond...and they hope to do it faster than ever before.
It took the New Horizons probe about 10 years to reach remote little Pluto, dragging out its life in loneliness in the sticks of the Solar System; NASA means to reach the so-called Heliopause, the limit of our Sun's influence some 2.5 times further away than Pluto, in the same time.
Here's how it's done: Chemical rockets can't cut it; they pack a lot of power, but they use it up too quickly, and they have to carry all their fuel with them (which weighs them down and requires a lot of space). Ion engines are fine, but they're rather slow. Most spacecraft, such as New Horizons, as well as the Voyager and Pioneer probes, use the tried-and-true gravity assist method, slingshotting around the inner planets and Jupiter to build up enough speed by stealing just a little orbital energy. It's useful, but again—too slow.
So NASA's looking to its E-Sail solar sail technology, a design somewhat similar to what Hawking's and Milner's interstellar venture has proposed; but the NASA concept doesn't require a local laser array to speed the craft on its way—only the solar wind is needed.
Diagram showing the Heliopause and the estimated voyage durations for different technologies. Credit: NASA
NASA's project is called the Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS). It's a sail made of aluminum wires extending like spokes from a hub, each wire potentially up to 20 kilometers (over 12 miles) long, but only a scant 1 mm across. The sail has a surface area of about 600 square kilometers (372 square miles) upon its deployment near Earth, which can expand to nearly 1200 square kilometers (744 square miles) upon full centrifugal deployment when reaching the Asteroid Belt.
The wires themselves will be positively charged, so that the pressure of solar electrons will create a repulsive effect, incrementally accelerating the spacecraft to speeds of 100 to 150 km/s (62 to 93 m/s), or about 20 to 30 astronomical units per year.
There's still much to be worked out, including maintaining a positive charge in the sail structure; but none of the technology is outlandish or requires some profound leap in achievement.
NASA hopes to develop and deploy the system by the 2025-2030 timeframe.
See Ya Later
Scientist Proposes Using Entire Planet as Spaceship to Different Star System
"Magnetic Sails" May be the Key to Interstellar Spacecraft
One Scientist Has a Plan to Send the Building Blocks of Life to Distant Exoplanets
When Will the First Human Leave the Solar System?
These Projects Could Take Us to the Stars in the Next 20 Years
More on Off World
Grrrrrrrr
Yesterday on the byte
Internet Erupts as NASA Spots Cartoon Bear on Surface of Mars
Gl1tc4
NASA Says Another James Webb Instrument Has Suffered a Glitch
comet Spotting
Behold! Dazzling Green Comet Approaches
READ MORE STORIES ABOUT / Off World


The Division of Pediatric Dermatology hosts an American Board of Dermatology-sponsored pediatric dermatology fellowship. The one-year fellowship is open to candidates who are board-certified in dermatology and who have a special interest in pediatric dermatology. Candidates should apply directly to fellowship director Annie Grossberg, M.D.


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\section{Photometric properties of the system}

An object LMC SC9-127519 was discovered as a variable star with unique photometric properties
during our multiperiodicity search in the OGLE-II database (Szyma\'nski, 2005).
Independently this object was announced as two binary systems in 3:2 resonance by Ofir (2008).
With the coordinates, the magnitude (V=13.3) and the colour (B-V=-0.142), we identified object
as BI 108 in the list of Brunet et al. (1975), for which they give a spectral
type of B1-2. Schmidt-Kaler et al. (1999) list B1:II: for the same object.
Probably BI 108 is one of the brightest member of a young open cluster, NGC 1881.
  The OGLE-II data spans almost four years. A time series analysis returns two periods.
Of these two periods the stronger one ($P_1$=3.57793 d), with a peak-to-peak amplitude of
about 0.18 mag, is clearly of a double wave nature. A light curve of such that particular
appearance can, with little doubt, be attributed to an eclipsing binary nature (Fig.~1).
The weaker period, with about 0.05 mag peak-to-peak, has the value of $P_2$=5.36654 d.
Within the uncertainties this is exactly 3/2 of the stronger period.
The second light curve is not sinusoidal (Fig.~1).
An analysis of the photometric variability allows two options, including $P_2$ or $P_2$/2,
and 3:2 or 3:4 resonance values, respectively.
With the MACHO data (ID 79.5378.25) we were able to confirm both periodicities with the same
amplitudes in three bands and their long term coherence.
Moreover both periods have exactly the same moment of the minimum. It is an additional constraint
difficult to explain in the model. Such a clearly resonant and long-term stable period relation
is not known for any other early type variable star.

\begin{figure}[!t]
\plotone{kolaczkowski_fig1.ps}
\caption{ Upper panel: The OGLE I-band light curves for both periods of the BI 108
system. For each period the contribution of the respective other one has been removed.
Lower panel: The original light curve folded with superperiod. In all cases
$HJD_0$ = 2451163.8915. Dashed lines indicate phases of the spectral observations.
 }
\end{figure}

\section{Preliminary spectroscopic results}
The immediate goal of our follow-up program was to confirm the assumption of an eclipsing binary
for $P_1$ period, and clarify the nature of the period with smaller amplitude,
which could be either $P_2$ in case an ellipsoidal light curve arising from a multiple co-planar
system, or twice shorter in case of a single wave, e.g.~tidally forced pulsation.
These processes have their own, distinct spectroscopic signatures revealed in the radial
velocity and line shape changes.
  Ten epochs spectroscopic observations were carried out at ESO VLT/UVES.
 The system has SB2 nature and contains two similar components with spectral features of
B1 II/Ib stars. But surprisingly an orbital period seems to be $P_2$.
We do not find modulation of the radial velocities with $P_1$ period and moreover we do not
see any signature of the third component in the system. This result does not support our predictions.
Only evidence of the shorter variability is the H and He I profile variability.
When both phases are close to quadrature the system appears as SB2 with almost identical lines but changes relative depth when the shorter cycle is close to minimum.
This seems to follow a shorter photometric cycle and strongly suggest a variability of one (less massive) component. It could be an effect of unusual eclipses or rotational modulation. But our few spectral observations do not allow to test these hypotheses, and so far the nature of the phenomena
observed in the BI 108 remains unknown.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


"I respect all the members of the Jewish community and clarify that I only wished to describe the difficult situation facing Romanian breeders due to the African swine fever," Agriculture Minister Petre Daea said in a statement.
Daea said in a television interview Tuesday that in breeding grounds affected by the disease, "pigs are incinerated, it's extraordinary work, it's like Auschwitz."
"I have never offended anyone. I just expressed my pain," said the minister, whose statements often cause confusion.
The center-right opposition has called for Daea's resignation, with former prime minister Dacian Ciolos saying it was "unacceptable to compare the incineration of pigs to a world tragedy."
"These declarations are susceptible to violate human dignity and create a hostile climate, humiliating all those who remember the Holocaust," the group's president Csaba Asztalos told AFP.
Auschwitz-Birkenau has become a symbol of Nazi Germany's genocide of European Jews, over one million of whom were killed at the camp between 1940 to 1945.
African swine fever is a highly contagious disease that causes fatal hemorrhages in pigs. It is transmitted through contact with other infected pigs or ticks as well as by feeding pigs infected kitchen waste. The disease does not affect humans.


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Home » Advocacy & Action » Some Finance Talk but What about Due Process & Bullying?
Some Finance Talk but What about Due Process & Bullying?
Mar 12, 2018 by Mark Desetti
What About Bullying and Due Process?
The Due Process Bill (HB 2757) and Bullying Policy Bill (HB 2758) have both been passed by the House and are not sitting in the Senate Education Committee. There has been no word yet as to whether or not Committee Chair Molly Baumgardner (R-Louisburg) will schedule hearings on the bills.
KNEA supports both bills and has asked the Chair to consider holding hearings.
We urge our members to contact Committee Chair Baumgardner and Vice Chair Larry Alley (R-Winfield) and politely ask them to hold a hearing on these bills. They are both important to our teachers and our students.
CLICK HERE to send a message to Senate Ed Committee Chairpersons encouraging them to hear both bills.
Beginning to Talk About School Finance…Kind Of
The House K-12 Budget Committee and the Senate Select Committee on School Finance both held bill hearings today that are beginning to sound like addressing school funding issues.
In the House Committee, Chairman Fred Patton (R-Topeka) held a hearing on HB 2636, a bill repealing some provisions of a law passed in SB 19, last year's school finance bill. These provisions had the State Board of Education reviewing bond proposals if those bonds would be in excess of 14% of the district's assessed valuation. The bill put a number of restrictions on the SBOE in those reviews – most specifically that the applications for additional bond authority do not exceed the total principal amount of general obligation bonds retired in the immediately preceding school year. And if total applications exceed that amount, the SBOE must prioritize applications.
HB 2636 would repeal all of these restrictions.
Proponents of the bill including KASB, USA, KSSA, a number of school districts, two large construction groups, and two investment banking groups. The only opponent was Dave Trabert of the Kansas Policy Institute.
No action was taken on the bill today.
Later, in the Senate committee, Chair Molly Baumgardner (R-Louisburg) held a hearing on SB 423 which would repeal two provisions of SB 19 that the Supreme Court found to be violations of equity.
The first of those provisions was the 10% at-risk floor under which a district that had fewer than 10% of its students eligible for free lunch would receive at-risk funding as if they did have 10%. There are only two school districts in the state that would have qualified.
The discussion indicated that some Senators still cannot seem to understand that poverty is used as a proxy for at-risk because there is a significant correlation between living in poverty and the potential for not finishing school. The money, while generated by poverty, does not follow the child. It is used to provide at-risk program support for any student who meets factors for at-risk behaviors regardless of the student's wealth.
The second issue being repealed in the bill is the expansion of uses of capital outlay funds. SB 19 allows school districts to use capital outlay funds for utilities and property and casualty insurance. Prior to this year, this was not allowed. The Supreme Court determined that this too violated equity.
Passage of the bill would address two of the four equity issues the Court flagged.
No action was taken today.
Turnaround! The Halfway Point is here.
Some action, but still no funding solution.
Bullying and Budgeting
A Bill to Arm Teachers and a Day on Equity & Transportation
at-risk
bond and interest
bullying policies


>> for 3.0.0, ~48 for 2.x.y). How do i go about submitting them?
>> anything for everyone else).
> my own TODO. I think, you can submit those patches on this list.
> Creating a bunch of tickets may make it pretty hard to follow.
dlls at runtime, even though in fully-linked build it isn't needed.
Check for socket-related headers and include them conditionally in tests.
to add W32-specific makefile parts.
the use of non-standard (and non-existent on W32) type caddr_t.
gettimeofday is available in MinGW-w64, do check for it.
Compile libpurple with extra w32 source files.
i like to have real code that i can debug.
to allow configure to finish.
runtime root as-is and use that.
that this macro may be a function call that returns const char *.
generatable, because it refers to top_builddir.
relative on W32, and is actually used there.
On W32 libpurple needs W32 libdnsapi, so link to it.
Just to make it compile, code copied from glib examples.
Also W32 pidgin requires zlib.
Use mingw ansi printf, which is more compatible than MS printf.
Need to include this header in GG.
Anyway, -no-undefined is always needed for shared libs on W32.
This is from 2.x.y, i'm not sure it's still needed.
horribly. Not sure how MSVC-compatible this will be, needs research.
Since the advent of silent-rules, silencing libtool is absolutely useless.
headers, and escalated into this patch.
Need zlib for http compression.
Move stuff around, use GObject instead of GtkObject.
This extension depends on W32 perl, which i don't have.
These files are generated in builddir, point gtk-doc at them.
uses %S for wchar and %s for char, always.
need to load anything dynamically).
Purely for my convenience (since i did have pidgin-2.x.y built as well).
This is a hack. My build is fully-linked, so this code is not needed.


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Vallejo to undergo medical at Wolves today
Tim Nash July 26, 2019 0 Comments
Real Madrid defender Jesus Vallejo is set to undergo a medical today with a view to joining Wolves. The clubs have agreed a season-long loan for the 22-year-old. If all goes well, he is expected to be announced as Wolves' first new summer signing tomorrow. The Spain Under-21 captain will then be in line to make his debut in next Thursday's Europa League second qualifying round second leg tie at Crusaders in Belfast. Vallejo arrived yesterday for talks over a move to Molineux and was in the stands for the 2-0 first leg win over Crusaders, meeting his prospective team-mates…
Mutch: Sammy was like a father figure to Wolves players
Andy Mutch has paid tribute to Sammy Chapman, calling him a 'father figure' to Wolves players at the time. Chapman died peacefully at his home in Wombourne on Wednesday at the age of 81. Mutch, 55, was the stand-out signing made by Chapman in the darkest days in Wolves' long and proud history. The Liverpudlian striker was playing for non-league Southport when the then manager of Wolves signed him for £5,000 in February 1986. Mutch quickly set about repaying the modest fee, scoring seven goals in his first 15 games to the end of that season to…
Tributes paid to former Wolves manager Sammy Chapman
Tributes are being paid to former Wolves manager Sammy Chapman, who has sadly died. The Northern Irishman passed away peacefully at his home in Wombourne, near Wolverhampton, on Wednesday, aged 81. Mr Chapman had suffered ill health in the last few years, but remained in good spirits. He and his family have a unique connection with Wolves in that he managed the club twice, after being promoted from chief scout, and both his sons, Campbell and Cavan, played for the club. Mr Chapman is survived by wife Jeannie and sons Campbell, 56, who is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Cavan,…


In the Bengali speaking regions of Bangladesh and India, the Bengali term bede today often evokes stereotypical imaginations of itinerant people. Of highly contested origin, the term has in the last two hundred years become the pivotal element for categorising and portraying diverse service nomads of the Bengal region. Besides an analysis of their portrayal in ethnographic and Bengali fictional literature, this book traces causes, reasons, and processes that have led to an increasing perception of these so-called `Bedes' as being ethnically different from the sedentary majority population.
Carmen Brandt is junior professor at the Institute for Oriental and Asian Studies at the University of Bonn, Germany.


In a recent conversation I was having with someone, I mentioned how a 40 hour/week job can quickly morph into an 80 hour/week job, or even more, if one is not careful.
This is true in the world of employment, and it's certainly true in the world of freelancing.
Oftentimes as freelancers, we get caught up in the magic of creating content from scratch, or bringing marketing ideas to life, or learning about a software platform. We justify the time spent learning or researching as time devoted to becoming better at our craft. While this is a wonderful thing and oftentimes the reason why we became freelancers in the first place, it cannot justify earning less and less money.
Just because you're a freelancer doesn't mean your time is free, nor are you any less valuable because you're a 'vendor' instead of an employee.
In light of this, here are some ways in which you can value yourself more, and consequently earn more money, in 2016.
There's something about hourly rates that makes me think of sleazy hotels. More to the point, hourly rates are not recommended for several reasons.
As a freelancer, you'll naturally grow more adept at your craft with time and will complete tasks faster and better than when you first started in your profession. That means that projects will take shorter amounts of time to complete.
If you charge by the hour, that also means that you'll get paid less and less for projects that are completed. Even though you'll be at the top of your game and quite effective at solving your client's challenges, you'll actually make less than you did when you were a novice.
This is why charging by the project and not by the hour is of utmost importance. Doing so also helps you avoid the pitfalls of having your client micromanage your work time, or having a client balk when you quote an hourly rate of $100 or even $300/hour.
If you want to earn more money as a freelancer, you need to go beyond the title of freelancer and become a master. Don't just offer freelance writing or design work or programming. Instead, offer a complete service package that addresses the entire challenge your client is facing.
Recorded customer interviews and source quotes.
A basic marketing strategy, including social media and email announcements.
Don't hesitate to promote your service in a package deal that is guaranteed to be the solution your client needs.
It's understandable that you're going to research some of your work topics in order to sound knowledgeable about them. However, you need to limit how much time you devote to research for the sake of the project.
Let's say you are writing a 500-word article about a 10-year-old business. Many writers would approach this task by scheduling meetings with the business owner(s) (1-2 hours), driving to and from the business (1-2 hours), and reading about the business product line and history (3-4 hours).
That's almost a full day of work, and the article has yet to be started or edited.
Alternately, you could look up a few online references that sum up your client's business (1 hour) and speak with the business owner via phone (30 minutes). You could then spend the rest of the day writing up the article and asking for feedback/edits from the client.
If you're earning $400 for this article, consider how over-research cuts your hourly pay by at least half. To stop the temptation of doing over-research, limit your fact-finding time to just an hour or two. Then, get to work on your task.
Sure, you might have to go back and fill in some knowledge gaps with another phone call or a second online search. But the chances of that happening are slim. Meanwhile, you've already worked through a good chunk of your article and are ready to collect feedback from your client.
Mom-and-pop businesses, "I-just-started-this-website" individuals, etc. are not going to pay you enough money to support your freelance career. What will happen is you'll spend a good chunk of your time performing free research and helping to develop ideas. By the time you start your paid work, you will have spent tens of hours in unpaid time just to ramp up.
How do you avoid this problem? You qualify your clients before you even speak with them. This involves looking over the business and other credentials of your prospects and objectively determining if they can pay your desired rate. In most cases, this means that the client should be earning at least $5 million in yearly revenues. It also means that the client has a dedicated marketing team and/or has outsourced those functions to a third party.
By having a decent revenue stream of $5 million per year, your client can afford to pay you. By having a marketing department already in place (or outsourced), you can be assured that your client values such 'extraneous' services and realizes that there is a need for them.
In short, you should qualify those clients who can pay you your asking rate and who value your services enough to either have them going on in-house or outsourced.
If you've been working with a specific client for a while, don't be shy about asking for a bump in your pay. Most clients would rather just pay you more money versus go out and find a new freelancer. If you're doing good work and the client is happy with you, there's no time like the present to ask for an easy 10% increase, for example.
How do you present a good case for a raise? Point to the success of your past work, how long you've worked with your client, and the chance that you might have to go elsewhere. The worst that can happen is that your client says no.
Freelance work, just like employed work, is a numbers game. You should be tracking how much time you're putting into your work versus how much money you're getting out of it. You should be predicting and achieving regular pay increases. Finally, you should be increasing your own mastery of your profession- and achieving higher pay as a result.


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Smith & Nephew forecasts a 4% decline in Q3 underlying revenue.
By Ronald Slater
Smith & Nephew forecasts a 4% decline in third-quarter underlying revenue.
The medical equipment manufacturer's underlying revenue slid 29% in Q2.
Smith & Nephew to buy Integra LifeSciences' extremity orthopaedics unit.
In an announcement on Thursday, Smith & Nephew plc (LON: SN) said its underlying revenue is expected to see a 4% decline in the fiscal third quarter. Underlying revenue does not account for non-recurring and other exceptional items.
Shares of the company remained flat in premarket trading on Thursday but jumped close to 2% on market open. At £15.50 per share, Smith & Nephew is now 10% down year to date in the stock market after recovering from an even lower £11.52 per share in March when the impact of COVID-19 was at its peak. Confused about choosing a reliable stockbroker to trade online? Here's a list of the top few to make selection easier for you.
Smith & Nephew to buy Integra LifeSciences' extremity orthopaedics unit
The medical equipment manufacturer said that signs of significant recovery were evident in the performance of three of its franchises in Q3. In the prior quarter (Q2), Smith & Nephew had recorded a 29% decline in underlying revenue attributed to the Coronavirus pandemic that has so far infected more than 400 thousand people in the United Kingdom and caused over 42 thousand deaths.
Smith & Nephew said in a statement on Thursday:
"Monthly group growth rates were broadly stable through the quarter, with some seasonality and monthly variation across both franchises and regions, reflecting the continuing impact of COVID-19."
The forecast comes only a day after the British multinational expressed plans of buying Integra LifeSciences' extremity orthopaedics unit for £187 million in cash. According to Smith & Nephew, the acquisition will help it enter the foot and ankle segment, and bring shoulder replacement to its portfolio.
Smith & Nephew also partnered with Avail Medsystems in September
The business traded only at a minor loss and generated £70.13 million in revenue last year. The unit is likely to be slightly dilutive in 2021 and 2022 to trading profit. Smith & Nephew also partnered with Avail Medsystems in September to deliver clinical education and procedural support to customer remotely.
Following the completion of the transaction, Integra LifeSciences will get to widen its focus on surgical instrumentation, neurosurgery, and regenerative medicine products. Its agreement with Smith & Nephew also entails a £32.34 million payment that it'll make to Consortium of Focused Orthopedists.
At the time of writing, Smith & Nephew has a market cap of £13.54 billion and a price to earnings ratio of 44.45.


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Film / Reviews
'School-Live!': Zombie flick lands dead on arrival
by Matt Schley
A manga series whose time in the public consciousness peaked years ago? Check. A cast of idol singers whose acting chops are questionable at best? Check. A script in dire need of a rewrite? Check. You guessed it: It's time for another manga-to-live-action adaptation.
Based on a comic of the same name by Norimitsu Kaihou and Sadoru Chiba, "School-Live!" centers around the School Living Club, a group of high school girls who, as the name suggests, live at school. At first, it seems like an idyllic life: the girls (played by members of musical group Last Idol) cook for each other, take classes from their beloved teacher (Nonoka Ono) and hold school festivals.
But it turns out they're holed up at school not by choice, but for survival: They're the only survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Wander too far from their barricaded section of the school, and they risk a chomping from their zombified classmates, who restlessly shuffle back and forth on the school grounds.
School-Live! (Gakko Gurashi!)
101 mins.
As time goes on and their supplies run low, the girls must venture deeper into zombie territory — and in doing so, confront the mental scars left by the early days of the outbreak. That's especially true for Yuki (Midori Nagatsuki), so badly traumatized she's in a permanent state of denial, hallucinating that everything is as it once was.
In the best zombie movies, like those of George A. Romero, zombies serve as cheeky stand-ins for societal ills like racism or consumerism. A more recent zombie hit, Japan's own "One Cut of the Dead," used the genre to parody — and ultimately pay tribute to — the world of zero-budget filmmaking. The "School-Live!" setup is ripe for something along the same lines, and as the first 20-odd minutes of sickly sweet pre-zombie scenes unspooled, I assumed the trite dialogue and almost laughably-bad performances were, in fact, about to be revealed as a parody of typical high school drama once the zombies attacked.
Nope. Unlike manga writer Kaihou, who seems to revel in the gap between his cutesy characters and the horrifying situations they find themselves in, director and screenwriter Issei Shibata's tongue can't seem to find his cheek. Instead, the members of Last Idol are forced to play it straight, often to cringeworthy results. In their defense, even Oscar-winning actors might choke on dialogue like: "Don't worry about me! Save yourself!" "No, we're getting through this together — all of us!" Aside from delivering stale lines, the girls do a lot of falling down in fear in front of approaching zombies. One would think the only four students to survive a zombie outbreak would show a little more prowess. The thinking, I suppose, is that if a group of idol singers were portrayed as tough, capable chicks, it might alienate their core fanbase.
But how are the zombie action scenes in "School-Live!"? Dead on arrival. The film has an all-ages rating and effects to match: Zombie film fanatics and readers of the original manga will find themselves increasingly frustrated at the lack of head removal. More importantly, the choreography is simply boring.
Being aggressively boring, in fact, is the greatest sin of "School-Live!" The principle that each scene of a film should push the story forward is discarded with abandon. In a typical sequence, the girls get together to discuss doing something, do it, then discuss having done it as we see a flashback of them doing it. Maybe they could use that to their advantage for the home video tagline: "So slow even zombies can understand it!"
In line with COVID-19 guidelines, the government is strongly requesting that residents and visitors exercise caution if they choose to visit bars, restaurants, music venues and other public spaces.
film, Manga, School-Live!, Issei Shibata


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Why ND?
⇒ NavigateNews Why ND? About Admissions Publications Academics Athletics Staff Giving Contact
Performing Arts Conservatory Wins Prestigious Award
CLARKSBURG, WV – The Performing Arts Conservatory at Notre Dame High School has received a statewide award from a national organization.
Performing Arts Conservatory (PAC) Director Jason A Young proudly announces the program as the recipient of the National Federation of State High School Association's (NFHS) Heart of the Arts Award for West Virginia.
The NFHS developed the Heart of the Arts Award in 2013 as a way to recognize individuals and groups that exemplify the positive ideals of the performing arts that are the core mission of education-based participation in arts and activities. Notre Dame High School (NDHS) was notified on April 20, 2020, by James Weaver, the Director of Performing Arts at NFHS that the PAC at NDHS was selected by the NFHS Heart of the Arts Selection Committee to receive the award for West Virginia.
"We are obviously very excited, but also humbled and a little shocked, to have our program recognized in such a meaningful way," said Young. "Our students attend a lot of festivals and competitions and receive a lot of accolades for their performances, but an award like this speaks more to the principles that the program is founded upon and the standard of education that we strive to maintain."
Founded in 2015, The Performing Arts Conservatory at Notre Dame High School is currently the state's only unified 7th through 12th grade academic program that focuses on acting, dance, vocal music, instrumental music, and performance theory. Powered by The VTC Academy at The Vintage Theatre Company, the PAC at NDHS offers specialized training for students who are choosing to pursue a career in the performing arts and offers an introduction to the life skills provided by arts training that assist students in becoming well-rounded human beings. It is the goal of the PAC at NDHS to produce students who can be successful in competitive post-secondary performing arts programs and who are life-long learners and consumers of the performing arts.
"From the very beginning of the planning process for the PAC, it was impressed upon me the importance that Notre Dame places on educating the whole person," said Young. "The school's motto is 'Education through faith, knowledge, and service.' They want their students to have meaningful experiences academically, athletically, and artistically with all of those experiences anchored by the community of faith that the school creates."
Notre Dame High School principal Julie Frosch believes that participation in the PAC at NDHS enhances students' academic achievement. Frosch also understands and celebrates the importance of the program to the school as a whole.
"The students of the Performing Arts Conservatory are a marvelously talented group of young people who actively learn by participating in several aspects of the arts from acting to music to dance. These skills assist our students in academics by enhancing their critical thinking skills, building their self-confidence, enforcing teamwork strategies, and promoting public performance," said Frosch. "The PAC students contribute creative thoughts and ideas to our school environment in and out of the classroom. We are blessed to have such a strong program here at Notre Dame!"
This year's PAC at NDHS cohort is the largest in the program's young history:four 7th grade students, four 8th grade students, three freshmen, seven sophomores, three juniors, and four seniors. These 25 students populate the program's two Thespian troupes, two choirs, and jazz ensemble.
For junior McKenzie Fittro the PAC at NDHS plays an important role in the life of the school and an important role in her own life as well.
"The PAC is important to Notre Dame because it exposes kids to the arts. The arts are important; whether it be performing on the stage or sitting in the audience, it's all important. The PAC gives kids who don't participate in sports a time to shine. It gives everyone a place where they can flourish and thrive," says Fittro. "I know if it wasn't for being a part of the PAC since I was in 8th grade and working with the wonderful teachers, I wouldn't be half the performer or person I am today."
The PAC at NDHS is home to both a middle school and a high school Thespian troupe. The middle school Thespian troupe, under the direction of Trina Byard, features students in 7th and 8th grades. In only its second year, the troupe has already made its mark, having its competitive one-act play nominated as a wild card selection to the State Thespian Festival for two consecutive years.
The high school Thespian troupe, under the direction of Jason A. Young, is a past champion of the state's one-act play competition. In 2017 a group of five seniors took FUTURE, HERE, a play by West Virginia playwright Jeremy Richter, to the Chapter Select Showcase at the International Thespian Festival (ITF) in Lincoln, Nebraska. Several students have also won individual championships, high honors, and had the opportunity to compete at ITF through the National Individual Event Showcase (NIES.) This year, the high school's competitive one-act play,Application Pending, was rated Platinum Superior at the West Virginia Theatre Association Annual Conference and took home first prize at the West Virginia Area IV Thespian Festival before recent school closures canceled the State Thespian Festival.
Under the direction of Sarah Nale and Joshua Stubbs, with choreography by Kim Bell, The Shamrocks are the musical ambassadors of the PAC at NDHS. Made up of both middle school and high school students, The Shamrocks have a full show choir competition season schedule including the State Show Choir Festival every spring. At the 2018 state festival the group won Best Vocals with their show Hitsville, USA. They followedthat success with a first runner-up finish in 2019 with their inspirational show Breaking Free. This year's show, The Rhythm of the Rain, took home several awards at individual competitions including a first place finish at the Grafton Cavalcade. Like the State Thespian Festival, this year's State Show Choir Festival was also canceled due to statewide school closures.
In addition to the show choir, the PAC at NDHS students participate in a Mass Choir, also under the direction of Nale and Stubbs. The Mass Choir takes part in the school's multiple special masses throughout theyear, including the Mass of Thanksgiving, Lessons and Carols, and Baccalaureate.
The Swingin' Irish jazz quartet, led by Wayne Rowand, is made up of the program's only seniors. The group, which focuses heavily on music theory and improvisation, plays regularly for in-school events like ArtiGras and community events like The Irish Legends Gala. The ensemble also participates in the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission's (WVSSAC) Regional Band Festival.
"I believe the PAC has passionate teachers guiding the talented students of active parents, all the while being supported by a visionary administration," said Young. "Receiving an award like this, in a lot of ways, affirms what I already know and makes me very proud."
Individuals interested in information about the Performing Arts Conservatory at Notre Dame High School should contact Counselor of Admissions Jacqueline Reed at jacqueline.reed@notredamewv.org.
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Despite eight strikeouts Hamels could not stop Miami's Hanley Ramirez who hit two home runs off him.
Cole Hamels was looking to become baseball's only nine-game winner and for the first three innings when the Phillies took a 3-0 lead, it seemed like he was on his way to accomplishling that feat.
But Handley Ramirez of the Miami Marlins hit two homeruns off Cole Hamels (8-2) and the Phillies failed to take advantage of opportunities to get back in the game in the late innings and wound up on the short end of a 5-4 loss on a Saturday afternoon at Citizen's Bank Park.
Hamels did manage to come up with eight strikeouts in six and two-thirds innings, but just could not stop Ramirez, who started the Marlins comeback with a solo shot to center that had to be reviewed the umpires because a fan reached over and caught the ball. The umpires upheld the homerun call. Hamels also gave up an RBI double Justin Ruggiano that scored first baseman Logan Morrison, who singled after Ramirez's home run.
"I thought it was a homerun right off the bat," Hamels said of Ramirez's first home run. "If it wasn't going to be a homerun, I was going to be more lucky than anything because I threw the pitch, he guessed right, he hit it and he hit it hard. When that happens, he definitely deserved the homerun. You have to comeback and get the next guy, but I wasn't able to do that.
The Marlins third baseman put his team up for good with a two-run homer to left off Hamels to give the Marlins a 4-3 lead. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said that Hamels seemed to lose his command in his final two inninngs on the mound.
The Phillies got on the board by scoring runs in each of the first three innings. In the first Carlos Ruiz drove Juan Pierre on a RBI ground out to Morrison at first base. Jimmy Rollins got an RBI-single that scored Placido Polanco. Hunter Pence opened the third inning with a solo homer to right. But that would be all the Phillies would score until the eighth inning.
Marlins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (6-3)got the win and a had a solid outing against the Phillies and allowed eight hits while striking out five.
The eighth inning looked promising enough for the Phillies. Rollins tripled to right. Pierre would walk and take second on a stolen. A sacrifice fly by Pence drove home Rollins and moved Pierre to third. With three chances to bring home the tying run, the Phillies came up short. First, Victorino walked, but Ruiz struck out swinging on a bad pitch that was way outside the strike zone and first baseman Ty Wigginton also struck out swinging.
The ninth inning also looked liked the Phillies were, at the very least, going to push across the game-tying run. Polanco open the inning with a single to right-center. He was replaced by pinch runner Mike Fontenot and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by second baseman Freddy Galvis, who should have been safe at first because it appeared that Morrison missed the tag.
However, the umpire ruled that Galvis ran outside the baseline. The television replay did not indicate that Galvis ran out of the base line. Manuel said he asked first base umpire Doug Edding to get help from the home plate umpire.
But the way things turned out, it would not have mattered because Brian Schneider, pinch-hitting for pitcher Raul Valdes, popped out to second and Rollins ended the game by flying out to short.


An under 15s AFL player from Melbourne's northern suburbs has been banned from his competition for six weeks after threatening opponents who called him a 'black monkey' and made other racist jibes. But his complaint against his opponents for racial vilification is still being investigated and they are yet to be dealt any penalty.
ASHLEY HALL: The racist comments directed at the Sydney Swans star Adam Goodes recently prompted huge media coverage and quick condemnation from the AFL and officials from other clubs.
But there's been little attention paid to another incident involving racial taunts in a junior football league in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
An under 15s footballer claims he was racially vilified on the field earlier this month but he's the one who has been suspended.
SAMANTHA DONOVAN: On the first Sunday in June, just a week after Indigenous Sydney Swans star Adam Goodes had been called an "ape" by a young girl, an under 15s player took to the field in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
Mohammed Awo is from a Somali refugee family and loves to play footy. But during that match PM has been told he was called a "black monkey" and worse.
The racist jibes prompted Mohammed Awo to threaten to put his opponents "in hospital". The match ended in a punch-up.
Mohammed was reported for his threat and suspended for six weeks. His season is over.
Karen Toohey is the acting commissioner at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.
KAREN TOOHEY: I think what we've seen over the last few weeks, certainly at a professional level and in this case, that this type of behaviour unfortunately does affect many, many people who play sport. And I think particularly for young people, it's a terrible experience for them.
SAMANTHA DONOVAN: And Mohammed Awo's terrible experience has been worsened by the fact no action has been taken as yet against his opponents whom he alleges racially vilified him.
The chief executive of Melbourne's Northern Football League, Jeremy Bourke, declined to speak with PM, but referred us to his statement on the league's website.
It says the league does not and will not tolerate vilification of any kind in and around its football or netball competitions. And goes on to explain that the investigation into the complaint made by Mohammed Awo's Reservoir Colts against players from the Hurstbridge team is continuing and more than 20 witnesses need to be interviewed.
Mr Bourke told PM that it's hoped it will be clear if the matter needs to go to the tribunal by tomorrow.
Karen Toohey is concerned by the league's investigation process.
KAREN TOOHEY: As with anyone making decisions about these type of matters or any type of matter, has to take into account the full set of circumstances. And I guess there would be a question in our mind, coming at it from an equal opportunity perspective, about if there was a person involved in an incident who was responding to racist taunts or vilification, and I understand obviously that that hasn't been fully investigated yet, but if they were responding to those sorts of behaviours, then obviously that information is relevant to any penalty, I would think, that is imposed on them.
SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The Northern Football League says that Mohammed Awo pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening behaviour.
EXCERPT FROM NORTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE STATEMENT: In this case, racial vilification was presented as a defence. However, the tribunal quite rightly pointed out that this matter is being dealt with by a separate investigation and handed down their finding based on the player's actions as charged.
The Reservoir Junior Football Club had the opportunity to appeal the sentence if they felt the penalty was inappropriate, which they declined.
SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Karen Toohey says this type of situation has arisen before.
KAREN TOOHEY: There have been examples in other equal opportunity jurisdictions where this notion that someone responding to vilification is penalised, and the initial vilification claim is not dealt with appropriately, you know, has been seen as discriminatory.
SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The way the Northern Football League has handled the case prompted Mohammed Awo's coach to hit out in the Melbourne Age Newspaper.
Peter Milne said it was the "most disgraceful decision" he'd ever heard of.
That led to him being banned from the competition for three weeks with the league saying it "will not tolerate public criticism of tribunal findings, no matter the circumstances."
Peter Milne declined to speak with PM for fear of bringing further trouble to his club.
Karen Toohey sympathises with Mr Milne's position.
KAREN TOOHEY: I appreciate there are codes that we all have to comply with when we participate in sport, but I think if his response was to the fact that all the facts were not before the particular body at the time it made the decision, I can understand his frustration.
It does send the wrong message to people that, on one hand, we're condemning it when it's on TV, but when it happens to a 15-year-old, there is a lack of transparency around that process.
SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Karen Toohey says the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission would investigate this case if it received a complaint.
KAREN TOOHEY: We can only hope that either someone will take some formal action, or that the relevant bodies and the league will have a look at and review their procedures and processes.
ASHLEY HALL: Karen Toohey, the acting commissioner of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, ending Samantha Donovan's report.


text:
Speech to the SAS Users New Zealand Conference
E nga mana, e nga reo, e te iwi o te motu, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa
It's a pleasure to be here this morning to open the SAS Users New Zealand conference.
We're at a very exciting place at the moment.
The world of data analytics is new for a lot of people in Government, and just a little bit scary for some.
But the way I see it - by harnessing the skills analysts like you have when you look at information, we have the power to change - and save - lives.
In business and the corporate sector, data collection has long been used to analyse customer habits, and best meet the needs of clients.
So why can't Government do the same?
Why can't we get smarter with the huge amount of information we have on people, and use it to better support them?
With departments like MSD taking the same approach to data analytics that the corporate sector has been doing for decades, we have a huge opportunity to help children, families and individuals overcome the barriers they face, and thrive.
Through the Investment Approach to welfare, the Children's Action Plan and cross-Government work, the careful analysis of information is starting to make a difference.
There is a great deal of information out there - but it is only useful if we can look at it in a way that helps transform lives.
With the help of professionals like you that is exactly what we are doing.
Since 2011, analytics have been at the heart of our welfare reforms.
And the reason for reform?
Over 352,000 people on benefit in December 2010, or 13% of the working age population.
161,000 people received a benefit for at least half of the previous 10 years.
139,000 had spent more than a decade on benefit since 1993.
220,000 children in benefit dependent homes.
The welfare system was not providing people with the support they needed to build a better future for themselves.
It was passive rather than active - and it was not as work-focused as it could or should have been.
One of the first steps we took to turn this around was to develop a model which estimated the risks of welfare dependency among school leavers.
Working alongside the Ministry of Education, we began to pull apart data on school leavers that looked at things like:
Qualifications.
Suspensions and expulsions.
Reasons for leaving school.
The age at which they left.
That was combined with information from Work and Income and Child, Youth and Family, to create a 'probability factor' of a young person going on benefit within 3 years of leaving school.
This age-group are often vulnerable at the best of times, and even more so during times of economic crisis.
For example, the number of young people receiving the unemployment benefit peaked at 23,000 in 2010, up from 10,500 just a year earlier.
By understanding the patterns within this group at a level of detail never before examined, we were able to develop a system of support directly targeted at catching young people before they turn to the benefit.
That was the Youth Services initiative, which we introduced in 2012.
I'm proud to say we're now seeing the lowest number of youth people not in employment, education, or training since 2008.
There has also been an increase of 28,500 (9.3%) 15 to 24 year-olds in work over the past year.
We then wanted to go one step better.
A Baseline Valuation of the welfare system had never been attempted before.
Why not? The Government - and the taxpayer - spends around $8b on benefits a year, that's $22m a day.
A key feature of the valuation, which was first carried out in 2011, was the use of the analytical technique of 'segmentation'.
The commercial sector has long been doing this - grouping together people at similar stages of life with similar characteristics, to better understand their needs.
So we did it with our clients, and the numbers were astonishing.
What we saw was that those on UB - which is where interventions had been almost exclusively focused, only made up 5% of lifetime costs on welfare.
That's a fraction compared to the lifetime costs of sole parents (23%) and those on Sickness (9%) and Invalid's Benefits (24%), but UB was where our investment was going.
The total lifetime cost of all beneficiaries was put at $78 billon.
That included over $1 billon for just 4,000 16 and 17 year olds.
By being better informed about who was receiving a benefit and how long for, we can make better decisions about the support and investment they need.
We can identify what's not working well, and redirect our spending to where it's more effective.
That's helping sole parents, who we're now targeting with more investment than ever before.
The last 12 months saw over 8,000 sole parents come off benefit, a 9.4% drop.
We've now completed three valuations, and are increasingly able to understand who our clients are and what services are helping them get ahead.
This is light years away from how it was in the past, with every person on benefit getting the same support whether that's what they need or not.
Businesses don't work like that, and now the welfare system is catching up, thanks to technology and data.
As you all know analytics and 'big data' are growth industries at the moment.
Technology is only going to get more powerful and more sophisticated.
The Government is belatedly embracing this, and finally realising that working smarter with the information we have is the key to unlocking the door of effective investment and action.
Data analysis, and the work that you do, is also capable of saving lives.
I'm talking about the contribution you can make to early interventions, where support can be placed at the top of the cliff - not the bottom.
So much of my work is based at the bottom of that cliff - supporting long-term beneficiaries who've never been asked what they're capable of, supporting sexual abuse survivors, and the victims of child abuse.
Too often, children are battered, violated and killed by those who should love and protect them.
The thing is - we often know who these children are.
We know their families, and agencies like CYF and Police have often already been involved.
CYF carried out a piece of work in 2008, looking at the children known to child protection, and how many of them ended up in the Youth Justice system.
This work resulted in the '6s-to-9s model', which calculated the risk factor for children aged 6 to 9 entering the youth justice system 8 to 10 years later.
This is especially crucial considering almost 60% of people who go through the youth justice system end up in prison.
The cost to Corrections for each of them is around $1.5 million.
Again, I wanted to take this sort of work one step further.
How can we transform the snippets of information we have on vulnerable children into a clear picture that helps us identify those most at risk at the top of the cliff?
Yes, it's important to do what we can to keep a young person from committing crime - but it's far more important to do what we can to stop a child being abused or killed.
The most relevant information about a child early in their life is information about their siblings, parents and caregivers.
This can also be the hardest information for social workers to collate quickly and analyse thoroughly.
A joint piece of work between MSD and Auckland University in 2012 led to the development of the Predictive Risk Model.
We're now exploring this to see how it can better improve the lives of vulnerable children.
CYF receives around 154,000 notifications of concern about children a year.
61,000 notifications require further action, and 22,000 findings of abuse are substantiated.
As I said - we often know who these families are.
Predictive Risk Modelling can assemble and summarise information about children quickly, so frontline workers can get on with better protecting those they work with.
Using the data we have, including previous CYF engagement and family history, we found it's possible to pinpoint which children are most at risk before harm is done.
Once social workers are alerted to a risk level through the information gathered, they can look at the case and work out much quicker exactly what those risks are, and what they can do to help.
We're also developing the Vulnerable Kids Information System, or ViKi.
ViKi will enable frontline professionals, like socials workers and teachers, to register any concerns about children using a web-based programme.
This will mean wider information is available to people working with children, helping form a much more comprehensive picture of a child.
Concerns around ethics and privacy are absolutely top of mind, which is why we set up the Expect Advisory Group on Information Security.
This is currently being led by former Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand, and will oversee the development of the Risk Predictor Tool and ViKi.
These tools are being designed with the clear message that the data collected and analysed will only be used to contribute to the decision making process around interventions.
They are not intended to replace professional judgement and never will.
But they are tools which frontline professionals can use, which I believe will be far more effective than just throwing money at the problem of child abuse, crossing our fingers and hoping we'll get better results.
What I hope Risk Predictor Modelling will do is transform the data Government already holds and has access to, to make the picture clearer and the path of intervention more certain.
This way, we will be able to go exactly where we need to be - the right family, the right child, at the right time - and we will have a better understanding of exactly what they need.
I know many of you here use your skills and expertise in data analytics in the corporate sector - helping businesses increase profit and market share.
And there's nothing wrong with that - in fact the Government is following your lead and finally catching up to what corporates have been doing for decades.
I'm also glad to see several Government agencies represented here - I hope you agree with me this is exciting stuff.
We have a golden opportunity in the social sector to use data analytics to transform the lives of vulnerable children, families and individuals.
I'm unafraid to say the challenges Government faces through this work are greater than those for businesses and the private sector.
The data we have is richer, but more complex and fragmented.
The problems facing vulnerable people are multi-faceted and overwhelming, and the work for those supporting them is immense.
The cost of failure is greater.
It is a person spending their entire life on benefit never getting the investment or support they needed.
It is the lives of children at risk of abuse and neglect.
While we are rightly constrained by concerns around privacy and ethics, we have the moral imperative, and the power to take action and make a difference.
Are you up to the challenge of working with us?