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It's Pride, Y'all!
by Liz Miller | published on Jun 7, 2022
Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far away among the nations and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a little while in the countries where they have gone. – Ezekiel 11:16 (NRSV)
Pride Month hits different when you live in a small town in the middle of the country. It's not the stuff of movies where the whole city transforms into rainbows and neighbors line glitter-soaked streets for the big parade. Our local parade often has more people marching than spectating, and this year, amid leadership transitions, we're skipping it altogether.
Where I live, Pride is less about the party and more of a sacred pause. It is our reminder that we can't wait for politicians to legislate us into liberation; we must protect our trans children. It is a calling forth of queer community to create spaces where we celebrate our wildly wonderful gender expressions and can canoodle with our same-gender sweethearts in the corner pew.
Sure, I have celebrated Pride in the promised land, where a dozen Dykes on Bikes led the parade and the Indigo Girls headlined the festival stage.
I have also sat in my Midwest sanctuary and listened to the testimony of someone who isn't out at work but is on Sunday morning. I've watched as queer elders processed forward to be prayed over by their church. I've (embarrassingly) ugly-cried as the choir sang, "No matter what people say or think about you, you are a child of God."
Queer folks are scattered all over this land, and wherever we gather, however we gather, there is the opportunity to create holy sanctuary in God's image. The glitter is optional.
Gender-bending God, may every rainbow flag we fly wrap us in the promise of your love.
Liz Miller serves as the pastor of Edgewood United Church (UCC) in East Lansing, Michigan.


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World Cup Heroes: Franco Baresi
It was my very first World Cup, my introduction to football. I had followed the whole tournament in 1994 with wide eyes, taking it all in. But there was this Italian team with so many story lines, yet so very much the underdogs. I have always liked the underdogs. However, one of the most fascinating story lines for me was this guy, Franco Baresi. He was 34 years old, and was captain of the Azzurri that year. He had suffered a knee injury early in the tournament that required surgery, but made a miraculous recovery to play in the final. I had no idea what he meant to Milan at that point, in fact I didn't know much about Milan at all at the time. But for me, he was a World Cup hero.
Baresi's first World Cup was actually in 1982, which Italy won, however he didn't play a single minute. Then in 1986, due to issues with coach Enzo Bearzot and competition for his spot with some guy called Gaetano Scirea, he was not even in the squad. However, in 1990, when the World Cup was played in Italy, he played in every single match and Italy took third place. That brings us to 1994, when the World Cup final was played in my own backyard here in the United States.
Italy lost their first match of the group stage that year to the Republic of Ireland, and Azzurri faithful everywhere were worried. They came back to beat Norway, but lost their captain to a knee injury by halftime of that game. He had arthroscopic knee surgery the very next day. That was June 20th. Italy stumbled through their last group stage match and drew with Mexico, just barely enough to get through to the Round of 16. A win with a Baggio penalty in extra time vs. Nigeria, then wins against Spain and Bulgaria saw them limp into the final, all while a certain Paolo Maldini was wearing the captain's armband in Baresi's place.
Those medals were not the color they wanted
Meanwhile, Baresi was rehabbing from his surgery, with his mind set on playing in the World Cup final, should Italy make it. So when the final was set between Italy and Brazil, he decided that he was ready to play. That was July 16, the day before the final. Less than one month after having surgery on his knee. And even though Arrigo Sacchi, Azzurri coach at the time, would later say that he probably shouldn't have played, he did. And he played what many consider the game of his life, he was a beast.
Baresi played the sweeper position, a position that may have been retired with his Milan jersey. He had amazing positioning, always knew where his teammates were, and was fantastic at tackling. Originally turned away by Inter because of his small size, Baresi became a giant on the pitch for both Milan and the Azzurri. A legend in his own right, and one of the best defenders to ever play the game. His comeback after surgery in the World Cup in 1994 was nothing short of miraculous.
Every hero has heartbreak, and his happened from the penalty spot
Baresi played so well in the final that day that he could have been man of the match had the outcome been different. But with the hot Pasadena, California sun, the game was a bit of a stalemate, and at 90 minutes, it was still scoreless. Added extra time also saw both teams shut out. And now Baresi had cramped up. So bad, in fact, that he had to be stretchered off toward the end of extra time. But he made it back onto the pitch before the final whistle. And now for the biggest drama of all: the first World Cup final to be determined by penalties.
Baresi was no stranger to penalties on the world stage, he had converted his penalty vs. Argentina in 1990 in the semifinal. Of course Italy lost that one, but he converted his kick. So when he was asked to take the first penalty vs. Brazil, he felt comfortable with the pressure. However, every hero's story has some heartbreak, and despite the amazing comeback, his heartbreak was to send the ball just over the crossbar. Miss. So many people focus on Baggio's penalty miss, which was the moment of determination for that trophy. But Baresi missed his, too, and his fellow Milan teammate Massaro saw his penalty saved as well. Had either or both of them converted, history might have been different.
Despite the fact that his last World Cup ended in heartbreak and tears a mere 40 minutes away from my own broken heart, Baresi is still a World Cup hero to me. His dogged determination to recover from injury in less than a month's time and his amazing performance in the final despite the loss were an inspiration to me, and one of the reasons I became both a Milan and Italy national team fan.
So as the World Cup 2014 kicks off in Brazil today, I remember one of my first World Cup heroes. He is a well known legend for Milan, but won my heart wearing the Savoy blue jersey of the Azzurri.
You can follow Baresi on Twitter @FBaresi. His tweets are… legendary.
This post inspired by the music of "Fratelli d'Italia" as sung by Sofia
against all odds azzurri baresi giants heartbreak injury milan legends world cup
Podcast: Mercato Kickoff
Italy's Orphans
Once Bitten, Twice Shy
So Sue Me
Clearance on Co-Ownerships
Brazilian Photo Album
World Cup Fever
Podcast: World Cup Obsession
Samba Lessons
The Changing of the Guard
Becoming Balotelli
Papa Don't Preach
Podcast: The Fantastic Four
Poll: Off With Their Heads

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Watching the Watchdog
The International Energy Administration is, supposedly, the gold standard for projections of future oil supply. In 2004 they projected that the world would produce 121 million barrels per day of crude oil. In 2005 they lowered that to 115 million bpd. Last year they lowered it again to 106 million bpd. Today, the Guardian reports that a "whistleblower" at the IEA says that even this number is rubbish and the IEA knows it:
The senior official claims the US has played an influential role in encouraging the watchdog to underplay the rate of decline from existing oil fields while overplaying the chances of finding new reserves…."The 120m figure always was nonsense but even today's number is much higher than can be justified and the IEA knows this.
"Many inside the organisation believe that maintaining oil supplies at even 90m to 95m barrels a day would be impossible but there are fears that panic could spread on the financial markets if the figures were brought down further. And the Americans fear the end of oil supremacy because it would threaten their power over access to oil resources," he added.
….A second senior IEA source, who has now left but was also unwilling to give his name, said a key rule at the organisation was that it was "imperative not to anger the Americans"
but the fact was that there was not as much oil in the world as had been admitted. "We have [already] entered the 'peak oil' zone. I think that the situation is really bad," he added.
It's pretty much impossible to know how seriously to take this. It's almost certainly true that analysts within the IEA disagree with each other about long-term projections, and it's also probably true that there are regional pressures of various kinds within the organization. That's pretty normal for international groups.
But is the U.S. actively pushing the IEA to produce figures that it knows to be wrong? And are these two anonymous sources the first ones to ever go public with this? Hmmm. I'm not so sure about that. But the IEA's 2009 World Energy Outlook comes out on Tuesday (last year's projections are above), and we'll see what they have to say then.


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Radack won't seek re-election, vacating powerful county commissioner seat coveted by Democrats
Local // Houston
Zach Despart, Staff writer
Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack during commissioner's court at the the Harris County Administration Building Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in Houston. Radack announced last year he would not seek reelection.
Godofredo A Vásquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Steve Radack will not seek a ninth term as Harris County commissioner for Precinct 3, vacating a powerful position he has held for three decades that Democrats hope to flip next year.
Radack, 70, said he plans to invest his time and significant campaign account into helping Republicans regain seats after disastrous elections in 2016 and 2018.
"I'm not through being involved in public service, and I felt that there's a lot I can do to help the Republican Party," Radack said.
Harris County commissioners are among the most powerful Texas politicians, outside statewide elected officials. Though Commissioners Court governs the whole unincorporated county, members traditionally have refrained from meddling in each other's precincts, effectively rendering each a fiefdom of more than 1 million residents where commissioners individually control tens of millions in annual infrastructure spending.
Court members often serve until retirement; in the four decades preceding 2016, they were more likely to be forced from office by criminal indictments than tossed out by voters. Radack's retirement creates the first open seat since 2016, when Precinct 1 Commissioner El Franco Lee died unexpectedly.
Tax rate cut, ambitious budget requests leave Harris County with tough choices
Hidalgo named to Forbes' '30 under 30' list
Radack and Harris County's other Republican commissioner, Jack Cagle, endorsed Spring Valley Village Mayor Tom Ramsey for the seat.
Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston, said Radack's impending retirement speaks to the shifting county electorate, which has helped Democrats sweep every countywide race since 2016.
"It is getting harder and harder for Republicans to compete in a rapidly changing county," Rottinghaus said.
Radack, the longest-serving commissioner on the current court, first was elected in 1988. He has served alongside four county judges, with whom he sometimes clashed even if they were fellow Republicans. He repeatedly has battled — and lost votes to — the three Democrats who took control of Commissioners Court this year, led by County Judge Lina Hidalgo.
Radack has spent much of his tenure focused on building roads and bridges for Precinct 3, which covers much of western Harris County. The precinct, mostly outside the city of Houston, continues to grow rapidly.
A former police officer and county constable, Radack opposed the bail reform settlement approved by Democrats, though he took an interest in improving conditions at the Harris County Jail. He sometimes bucked his own party, including when he called on state's Republican leaders to expand Medicaid, which he said would shore up the county health system for poor residents.
He also sought to stretch taxpayer dollars, including using captured feral hogs to feed the poor and repurposing dirt used to dig lakes for one park to build a soapbox-derby hill in another.
Steve Radack
Precinct 3 commissioner since 1989
Key focus of his tenure: Parks, roads and bridges in the fast-growing precinct. Campaigned for 2018 $2.5 billion flood bond.
Cagle, who represents Precinct 4, praised Radack for his commitment to what he called "the basics of the job," ensuring residents have safe streets and robust flood control infrastructure.
"He is a stalwart for taking care of his constituents and focusing on good work," Cagle said.
Several candidates from both major parties have joined the race. Ramsey, City Councilwoman Brenda Stardig and former West University Place Mayor Susan Sample will run in the Republican primary. The Democratic race will feature Michael Moore, chief of staff to former Mayor Bill White, former state Rep. Kristi Thibaut, educator Diana Martinez Alexander and three other candidates.
Democrats are keen to capture the seat, which would give them a crucial fourth vote to set the county's tax rate. Their plan this fall to raise property taxes, a move they said was necessary to ensure the county could continue to fund essential services under a looming revenue cap set by the Legislature, was foiled when Cagle and Radack skipped the vote.
A quirk in Texas law requires a quorum of four members, rather than the usual three, for a Commissioners Court vote levying a tax. The no-vote forced the county to adopt a lower tax rate, leaving the county with tough spending choices for the coming fiscal year. Budget hearings began Monday.
Radack has won eight consecutive elections in Precinct 3. He walloped his 2016 opponent by 15 points even as Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump across the county. Democrats believe they can win there, however, pointing to encouraging results in the 2018 election.
Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, edged Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in the precinct by4 percentage points in the Senate race, according to data compiled by Democratic consultant Keir Murray.
Radack said as recently as August that he intended to seek re-election, though he did not actively raise money the first six months of 2019. His campaign account contains $1.6 million, which he pledged to disburse to Republican candidates and get-out-the-vote efforts.
zach.despart@chron.com
Ex-deputy indicted in gun incident with driver over towed vehicle
Jan. 21, 1927: Front-page story features suspect shot after fleeing police
Zach Despart
Reach Zach on
Zach Despart has explained and exposed Harris County government for the Chronicle since 2018. He focuses on flood control, equity, county-state relations and corruption. He documented how Texas failed to stop two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and led a team that discovered the death toll from the 2021 blackout crisis was far higher than the state had acknowledged.
He was previously the managing editor of the Houston Press, where he won the Best Feature award from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for his feature on Venezuelan corruption in Houston and Miami. He is a New York native and graduate of the University of Vermont. Follow him on Twitter or email him at zach.despart@chron.com.


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'Ben Has Your Back' gets results in Samsung washer recall, legal action launched
Updated: 6:19 PM EST Feb 20, 2017
Ben Simmoneau
Anchor/Reporter
David Hurlburt
WEBVTT WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?HAVE A LOOK.JIE THERE IS A RIGHT -->> THERE IS A RIGHT WAY TO DOBUSINESS AND THIS ISN'T IT.>> YOU CAN'T BLAME HIM FORBEING FRUSTRATED.HE HAS TRIED AND TRIED ANDTRIED TO GET HIS SAMSUNGWASHING MACHINE FIXED.>> I WAS SCHEDULED THREESEPARATE TIMES FOR REPAIRS ANDNO ONE SHOWED UP AND NO ONECALLED TO CANCEL.I WAS OUT A DAY OF WORK AND ITWAS FRUSTRATED.Reporter: HIS IS ONE OF THEMODELS RECALLED LATE LAST YEARBECAUSE ON HIGH SPIN IT COULDCOME APART, EXPLODE CAUSINGINJURY OR WORSE.AND WITH A SIX-MONTH OLD SONAT HOME HE NEEDS A WASHER.ONE THAT IS SAFE.>> WE WANTED TO TAKE CARE OFIT QUICKLY BECAUSE EVERYTHINGWE READ FROM SAMSUNG AND INTHE NEWS SAID IT WAS ADANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THESEWASHERS.Reporter: OFFICIALLY SAMSUNGIS OFFERING CUSTOMERS A REPAIROR A REFUND.THE REPAIR DID NOT WORK FORVEIL AND HE THOUGHT THE REFUNDWAS PRETTY LOUSY TOO GIVEN HISMACHINE WAS JUST OVER TWOYEARS OLD.>> THE WASHER WAS 650.>> WHAT DID THEY OFFER YOU?>> ABOUT $300.Reporter: THE SAME STORY WEHEARD LAST MONTH.HE DID NOT WANT THE REPAIRBECAUSE SAMSUNG WOULD ONLY ONWARRANTY IT FOR A YEAR, ANDTHEY WOULD ONLY GIVE HIM $345FOR HIS $600 WASHER.>> IT IS A TYPE OF CORPORATEEXTORTION.A LOT OF PEOPLE AREFRUSTRATED BY THIS SITUATION.Reporter: HE IS AN ATTORNEYWHO IS FILING CLASS ACTIONLAWSUITS ON BEHALF OF THEWASHING MACHINE CUSTOMERS INSEVERAL STATES.>> IF YOU ARE HEARING THE SAMECOMPLAINT FROM MULTIPLE PEOPLEACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE IS ASIGNIFICANT PROBLEM.Reporter: HE SAID SAMSUNG ISFAILING MISERABLY WITH THERECALL, AND THE PRODUCT ISN'TJUST DEFECTIVE, IT ISDANGEROUS US ARE.HE SENT THESE PICTURES FROMCLIENTS WHERE THE WASHINGMACHINE HAD BROKEN THEDRYWALL.>> THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THISPROBLEM SINCE 2013.THIS IS NOT A NEWS FLASH.THE NEWS FLASH IS WE HAVECONSUMERS WHO ARE NOT GOING TOPUT UP WITH THIS TYPE OF ABUSEANYMORE.>> AFTER OUR STORY, SAMSUNGOFFERED HIM A FULL REFUND.THE DAY AFTER WE CONTACTEDSAMSUNG HE WHAT WAS OFFEREDTHE SAME THING.FEDERMAN SAID THAT'S WHATSAMSUNG SHOULD OFFEREVERYBODY.>> IT NEEDS TO BE THE FULLMONEY BACK OR A NEW MACHINETHAT DOES NOT SUFFER FROM THISPROBLEM, PLUS COME COMPENSATETHE CONSUMER FOR THE OUT OFPOCKET LOSS.>> I THINK THEY HAVE HAD A LOTOF OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THISRIGHT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE NOT.>> Ben: WE ASKED SAMSUNG WHYIT IS NOT YOU URGENTLYREPAIRING THESE MACHINES OROFFERING CUSTOMERS FULLREFUNDS.THE COMPANY INSISTS IF YOU OPTFOR A REPAIR YOU WILL BESERVICED IN SEVEN DAYS,ALTHOUGH IT DIDN'T HAPPEN INTHAT CASE.AS FOR HOW MUCH IT ISREFUNDING SAMSUNG SAYS ITDEVELOPS THE FORMULA WITH THECONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETYCOMMISSION.CALL SAMSUNG AT 1-866-264-5636IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY.TELL THEM YOU SAW OUR STORYAND THE CUSTOMERS THAT AREGETTING FULL REFUNDS ON WCVBIN BOSTON.IF YOU ARE INTERESTED INBECOMING PART OF THE CLASSACTION LAWSUIT BY THE WAY, WEHAVE CONTACT INFORMATION FORTHAT ON OUR WEBSITE.WCVB.COM.IF YOU HAVE A STORY E-MAIL ME,BEN AT WCVB.COM.WE WILL E-MAIL EVERYBODY WHOCONTACTED US BECAUSE WE HAVEGOTTEN DOZENS AND THEY TELLTHEM ABOUT THE CLASS ACTIONLAWSUIT.JC: REALLY, WHY WOULD YOU WANTTO RISK IT?IT IS A DRYER.>> AND FOR MANY PEOPLE IT IS ACOUPLE HUNDRED BUCKS MORE OUT
When you spend hundreds of dollars on a major appliance, you expect it to work, at least for a few years. Massachusetts consumers told us that's what has them so frustrated over the recall of some Samsung washing machines. They are left without the working appliance and they claim they company is not giving them good options. As complaints to "Ben Has Your Back" keep coming in, we are seeing some results for consumers. "There's a right way to do business, and this isn't it," said Fran Veale, of Canton. Veale said he has tried repeatedly to get his Samsung washing machine fixed. "I was scheduled three separate times for repairs and no one ever showed up. No one called to cancel," said Veale. "I was out the day of work. It was really frustrating." Veale's washer is one of the models recalled by Samsung late in 2016 because on high spin, they could come apart, explode and cause injury. "We wanted to take care of it quickly because everything we read from Samsung and in the news said it was a dangerous situation with these washers," said Veale. Samsung is offering customers a repair or a refund, but Veale doesn't feel the refund is fair, especially considering his washer is just over two years old. "The washer itself was about $650," Veale told WCVB's Ben Simmoneau. But Veale said the refund offered was only around $300. "Ben Has Your Back" heard the same story in January from Michael Farnola, of Andover. He decided against the repair because Samsung would only warranty it for one year. Samsung initially offered him a $345 refund, but the washer cost him $600. "It's a type of corporate extortion, A lot of people are very frustrated by this situation," said William Federman. Federman is an attorney in Oklahoma City who is now filing class-action lawsuits on behalf of Samsung washing machine owners in several states, including Massachusetts. "If you're hearing the same complaint from multiple people across the country, there's a significant problem," said Federman. "They've known about this problem since at least 2013 -- if not 2011. This is not a news flash to Samsung. The news flash is we have consumers who aren't going to put up with this type of abuse anymore." After WCVB's first story aired last month, Samsung offered Farnola a full refund. The day after we contacted the company about Veale's complaint, he was offered the same thing. Federman said a full refund should be offered to everyone. "It needs to be the full money back or a new machine that does not suffer from this problem. Plus they need to compensate the consumer for their out of pocket loss," said Federman. "I think they've had a lot of opportunities to make this right, with a lot of people, and it seems like they're not," said Veale. "Our priority is to reduce any safety risks in the home and provide safe choices to consumers impacted by the recall," a Samsung spokesperson told WCVB. "In coordination with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, we are offering consumers a choice between a free in-home repair for those that want to keep their current washer and a pro-rated rebate for those that prefer a new machine. We are listening to and learning from every consumer's experience in order to constantly improve our processes." Samsung said that it has successfully completed hundreds of thousands of in-home repairs to date and on average, a consumer who opts for in-home service is serviced within seven business days. Consumers who are unhappy with the recall and response can contact Samsung at 1-866-264-5636. Attorney Federman also wants to hear from consumers who feel they are not getting a fair offer. He can be reached at 405-235-1560 or you can email his office at rkh@federmanlaw.com.
CANTON, Mass. —
When you spend hundreds of dollars on a major appliance, you expect it to work, at least for a few years.
Massachusetts consumers told us that's what has them so frustrated over the recall of some Samsung washing machines. They are left without the working appliance and they claim they company is not giving them good options.
Ben Has Your Back: Support for owners of recalled Samsung washers
Warning: Some Samsung washers may explode, CPSC says
As complaints to "Ben Has Your Back" keep coming in, we are seeing some results for consumers.
"There's a right way to do business, and this isn't it," said Fran Veale, of Canton.
Veale said he has tried repeatedly to get his Samsung washing machine fixed.
"I was scheduled three separate times for repairs and no one ever showed up. No one called to cancel," said Veale. "I was out the day of work. It was really frustrating."
Veale's washer is one of the models recalled by Samsung late in 2016 because on high spin, they could come apart, explode and cause injury.
"We wanted to take care of it quickly because everything we read from Samsung and in the news said it was a dangerous situation with these washers," said Veale.
Samsung is offering customers a repair or a refund, but Veale doesn't feel the refund is fair, especially considering his washer is just over two years old.
"The washer itself was about $650," Veale told WCVB's Ben Simmoneau.
But Veale said the refund offered was only around $300.
"Ben Has Your Back" heard the same story in January from Michael Farnola, of Andover.
He decided against the repair because Samsung would only warranty it for one year. Samsung initially offered him a $345 refund, but the washer cost him $600.
"It's a type of corporate extortion, A lot of people are very frustrated by this situation," said William Federman.
Federman is an attorney in Oklahoma City who is now filing class-action lawsuits on behalf of Samsung washing machine owners in several states, including Massachusetts.
"If you're hearing the same complaint from multiple people across the country, there's a significant problem," said Federman. "They've known about this problem since at least 2013 -- if not 2011. This is not a news flash to Samsung. The news flash is we have consumers who aren't going to put up with this type of abuse anymore."
After WCVB's first story aired last month, Samsung offered Farnola a full refund.
The day after we contacted the company about Veale's complaint, he was offered the same thing.
Federman said a full refund should be offered to everyone.
"It needs to be the full money back or a new machine that does not suffer from this problem. Plus they need to compensate the consumer for their out of pocket loss," said Federman.
"I think they've had a lot of opportunities to make this right, with a lot of people, and it seems like they're not," said Veale.
"Our priority is to reduce any safety risks in the home and provide safe choices to consumers impacted by the recall," a Samsung spokesperson told WCVB.
"In coordination with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, we are offering consumers a choice between a free in-home repair for those that want to keep their current washer and a pro-rated rebate for those that prefer a new machine. We are listening to and learning from every consumer's experience in order to constantly improve our processes."
Samsung said that it has successfully completed hundreds of thousands of in-home repairs to date and on average, a consumer who opts for in-home service is serviced within seven business days.
Consumers who are unhappy with the recall and response can contact Samsung at 1-866-264-5636.
Attorney Federman also wants to hear from consumers who feel they are not getting a fair offer. He can be reached at 405-235-1560 or you can email his office at rkh@federmanlaw.com.


The American singer and dancer Josephine Baker came to fame in 1920s Paris where she was known as the "Black Pearl", the "Bronze Venus" and the "Creole Goddess". Nicolle Rochelle performed the lead role in Looking for Josephine during its two-year run playing to capacity crowds at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. We are delighted that in Paris After Dark she'll be bringing her performance to London for the first time.


Figure 1: Pattern of capillary loss without burns. Normal condition of peripheral retina without photocoagulation. (a) (left) A 2D view of the configuration of the retinal capillary network, Mueller cells and other retinal cells in the in silico peripheral retina. Size of a Mueller cell (green) is 24 μm . Size of other retinal cells (olive) is 21 μm. Diameter of arteriole (red) is 20 μm. Diameter of venules (red) is 25 μm. Diameter of shunting vessels at the top of the model area (red) is 18 μm. Capillary (red) diameter is 10 μm. Vessel pattern and diameters are from . (Middle) flow velocity map of the vascular network. Capillaries carry blood flow with smaller velocities than arterioles, venules, and shunting vessels. (Right) oxygen tension map of the modelled section. Cells in the proximity of vessels have relatively higher oxygenation and redder colors than those located at a greater distance but no area is ischemic in the normal condition. (b) Evolution of the flow velocity map following initial capillary occlusion without photocoagulation. (Left) flow map shows closure of a capillary in AV sector. (Middle and right) a cascade of capillary occlusion instances propagates anteriorly and posteriorly within the same sector, and therefore the flow map shows a progressively larger gap. Color bar has units μm/s. Warmer color represents greater flow velocity. (c) Evolution of the oxygen tension map following initial capillary occlusion without photocoagulation. (Left) oxygen tension map shows a group of poorly oxygenated cells near occluded vessel. (Middle and right) area of the ischemic region expands in response to the increasing number of derived capillary occlusion instances. Also oxygen tension in the venules drops with time. Color bar has unit mmHg. Warmer color represents higher oxygen tension.


Absolutely Guttered Tel: 0203 553 1286 Gutter Repairs Essex – offers an expert gutter repair service in Chigwell, Wanstead, Hainault, Abridge, Ongar, Stapleford Abbotts, South Woodford, Buckhurst Hill, Epping, Barkingside, Loughton, Brentwood, Clayhall, Barkingside, Theydon Bois, Bethnal Green, Redbridge, Dagenham, Goodmayes, Seven Kings, Highams Park, Chingford, Essex & East London. All gutters are flushed and tested for leaks. All-Inclusive Quotes · Fully Trained Operatives · Fast Response · Highly Rated · Family Run Business – Competitive Gutter Repair Rates in Essex Also we take photos of before and after the works have been carried out as proof of work so satisfaction is guaranteed.
Absolutely Guttered Tel: 0203 553 1286 Gutter Cleaning Essex – offers an expert gutter cleaning service in Chigwell, Wanstead, Hainault, Abridge, Ongar, Stapleford Abbotts, South Woodford, Buckhurst Hill, Epping, Barkingside, Loughton, Brentwood, Clayhall, Barkingside, Theydon Bois, Bethnal Green, Redbridge, Dagenham, Goodmayes, Seven Kings, Highams Park, Chingford, Essex & East London. All gutters are flushed and tested for leaks. All-Inclusive Quotes · Fully Trained Operatives · Fast Response · Highly Rated · Family Run Business – Competitive Gutter Cleaning Rates in Essex Also we take photos of before and after the works have been carried out as proof of work so satisfaction is guaranteed.


June 19th 2012New Democracy, the centre-right party that broadly supports the terms of Greece's bailout deals, has won the Greek election held on Sunday (June 17th). It should have enough seats to form a coalition government in partnership with other parties that want to stick by the rescue packages. To that extent, this vote—the second in six weeks—lays to rest fears that the country will abandon its bailout promises, default on its debt and leave the euro zone, for the short term at least. But the country's politics continue to look fragile. Well under half of voters supported the rescue deals, the new coalition partners have no history of working together and popular resentment against austerity remains strong. Greece's creditors will probably soften somewhat the conditions imposed on the country in return for the rescue loans, and the new government will try to honour the bailout terms. An immediate crisis has been averted, therefore. But Greece's longer-term problems remain: an unsustainable debt burden and a contracting, uncompetitive economy.
With nearly all (99.95%) of the vote counted, New Democracy is expected to win 29.7% of the vote, beating the anti-austerity left wing party Syriza into second place on 26.9%. The winning party receives an extra 50 seats in the 300-member parliament, giving the centre-right party 129 seats in total (Syriza receives 71, despite polling just 2.8 points less than New Democracy). Pasok, a centre-left party that also supports the rescue deals, came third with 12.3% of the vote, giving it 33 seats.
That opens the door to a pro-bailout coalition between New Democracy and Pasok, which would have a narrow but just about workable 12-seat majority. Both parties campaigned on a platform of sticking by the rescue deals, but trying to tweak the terms. They had dominated Greek politics for almost 40 years until the previous election on May 6th, when their vote collapsed as Greeks blamed them for corruption and incompetence in office. New Democracy saw its vote recover in this latest poll, after polling just 18.9% in May. It had turned this vote into a referendum on Greece remaining within the euro area, garnering support from people scared of the economic chaos that could follow a Syriza victory. This latest election was a disaster for Pasok, however, which saw its share of the vote tumble again to just 12.3%, from 13.2% in May—and more than 43% in 2009. It has haemorrhaged support to the anti-austerity Syriza, which has now replaced it as the dominant left-wing party in parliament.
Before this vote Pasok had said that it would refuse to join in any coalition government, although it backed down as soon as the result was known to say that it was willing to join a new administration. However, it did call for the formation of a broad-based unity government including other left-wing parties. Syriza immediately said that it would not join forces with New Democracy and other pro-bailout parties. However, another small left-wing party, the Democratic Left, did say that it was willing to join the new government. The Democratic Left won 17 seats, meaning that its inclusion would give the new government a far more convincing majority. It is sceptical about the bailout deals, campaigning on a platform of abandoning the packages gradually over a two-year period. A deal will probably be done, despite both left-wing parties' reluctance to accept New Democracy's leader as prime minister. Pasok will certainly be under heavy EU pressure to make a deal.
Syriza conceded defeat to New Democracy on Sunday, the day of the poll, and the centre-right party launched coalition talks with other parties on the Monday saying that it wanted to end the uncertainty that has plagued Greece since the inconclusive May vote. The new administration will need to act fast to keep the rescue money flowing, although it is very likely that Germany and other creditors will soften somewhat the terms of the agreement that Greece has signed. They can do this now without appearing to cave in to Syriza's demands.
Although Germany has said that there would be no rethink over the fundamentals of the rescue package, there are hints that Greece will be allowed more time to implement fiscal measures. It is doubtful, however, whether relaxing the conditions will prove sufficient for Greece to honour its promises, which at the moment look impossible to implement. Government revenue is shrinking as the economy remains in depression for the fifth-consecutive year. The bailout programmes call for cuts of unprecedented savagery, with up to 150,000 civil servants losing their jobs and bruising cuts to pay and pensions. This election will provide the new government with only a very weak mandate for such extraordinary action, certainly failing to show that a majority of Greeks accept the need for such measures.
That has already fed a surge in support for extremist parties, with seven parties again entering parliament after this vote. The two leading parties increased their support at the expense of some of the fringe parties such as the Communists, whose vote dwindled from May. But the ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn again garnered sufficient support to enter parliament, with its share of the vote holding steady from May at 6.9%. The threat of social instability bubbles away in the country after this vote, and certainly there will be a strong parliamentary presence that favours tearing up the bailout agreements.
For Syriza, the election provided the best possible result: it did not want to enter government, it will become even stronger in the coming months, and it is now well on the way to completely eclipsing Pasok and becoming the undisputed leader of the left. Syriza has gone from being a fringe party to the main opposition force in the country, and it will not let up on the pressure for Greece to abandon the bailouts.
Party leader Alexis Tsipras said that Syriza would play the role of an "honourable opposition". "Very soon the left will be in power," he told his supporters after the vote. "Overthrowing the bailout was the only solution." Freed of the need to make damaging compromises in return for entering government, Syriza can campaign hard for power by opposing the deals. Plenty of Greeks will be listening to its complaints as austerity bites ever deeper.


A fairly common species that is found in low numbers throughout the county.
Wingspan : M & F, 29-34mm.
Marbled, Rufous and Tawny Minors and Union Rustic.
Mainly wet and boggy places.
Overwinters as an egg which is laid on the twigs of the foodplant. Larva April-June, feeding at first on terminal shoots and later hiding in spun leaves during the day, emerging at night to feed.


Jharkhand Police Recruitment 2018: Jharkhand Police has released latest govt jobs for recruiting Daftari, Cook, Water Carrier, Water Carrier, Sweeper, Barbar, Washerman Posts. Candidates are requested to Download Application through Official website www.jhpolice.gov.in. Jharkhand Police Recruitment 2018, age limit, last date for application submission and other details are given below. Candidates can read all the instructions before applying.
Candidates are requested to Download Application through Official website www.jhpolice.gov.in. Jharkhand Police Recruitment 2018 Official notification and Application form are given below. Candidates can read all the instructions before applying.


Final Assault was a slight change for Epyx, with the company releasing a sports game (of sorts) with only one event, as opposed to their games series including World and Winter Games which included many different and varied sporting events.
Final Assault is created by the French mob Infogrames.
I have never had any particular interest in discovering how to play this game. I'm not even sure what the controls for direction are! However, it may be someone's favourite game out there, and that's why I've included it.
Chris Klimas has submitted a rather helpful annotation of the manual, to supplement the plethora of information I have already provided!


I was very pleased that Elite Paving came when they said they would come. With all the bad weather, I didn't expect them to come but they did and they managed to complete the job in just 3 days. They did a first class job and exactly what I wanted. It really looks fantastic. I'm really pleased with the job Elite Paving has done.


All businesses want to turn a profit. For most British companies, turnover is the main measure for growth.
In fact, 40 per cent of the executives responding in AIB (GB)'s Steps to Growth 2017 survey report turnover as the only measure they use. Recruitment and hotels and leisure companies are, unsurprisingly, concerned with number of customers. Amount and quality of new hires, extent of exports and reaching new markets also feature heavily.
Of the sectors surveyed, healthcare and manufacturing are the most optimistic. Some 68 per cent of healthcare respondents and 59 per cent of manufacturing respondents anticipate growth of 21–40 per cent over the next five years. The healthcare sector is benefiting from an ageing population and the opportunity to provide cost-saving innovations to the NHS. Some companies in the manufacturing sector are capitalising on the weak pound to boost their order books.
In a world of global markets, technological innovation and disruptive models, measuring growth exclusively by turnover runs the risk that you will miss opportunities to do more for less, price your product or service based on value, or simply change the way you do business.
Another key risk of measuring turnover, says Wilson, is that you don't pay enough attention to profit and simply scale up a model that doesn't generate sufficient returns or makes a loss. This is because, even if you are building a not-for-profit model, you will likely need surplus to reinvest or to build in resilience.
Profit can function as a more useful measure, Wilson advises: "It is useful to give some consideration as to whether you should measure profit as a percentage (which has some of the same pitfalls as using turnover as a key metric) or whether what really matters is the profit expressed as a sum of money (or even the amount of profit retained and reinvested).
Get access to the latest market news and sector expertise.


text:
Keep the wins coming
Drew Laskey
Four players scored in double figures for the Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team as they rolled past archrival Bellarmine 76-58 on Jan. 23.
Brandi Rayburn led the offensive onslaught with 21 points — 11 of which came in the first half — and pulled down six rebounds. Casse Mogan poured in 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds of her own. Sadie Bowling scored 14 points and Rachel Lantry added 13 to assist the Norse to their fourth-straight win.
The game started out closely with the Norse holding a narrow 11-10 lead in the opening minutes. Then NKU went on an 8-0 run and never looked back, compiling a number of similar runs for the remainder of the game.
"I felt like the flow of the game really helped with the kind of shots we were getting," said Rayburn, a senior forward. "We all started getting into rhythm and getting into the fl ow of the game, which made it easier to score."
The turnover category was in favor of the Norse this game as they tied their season low of eight and cut their season average of 16 per game in half.
"Turnovers were one of the things we wanted to cut down on in this game because we did have a lot of turnovers on Wednesday," Rayburn said.
"We wanted to take care of the ball this game and get our shots and everyone contributed and we got the shots that we get in our offense."
The protection of the ball led to an efficient offense as the Norse shot 47 percent from the field for the game and 33 percent from behind the arc. The Norse also took advantage of their free throw opportunities, sinking 81 percent of their 16 attempts.
"When you don't turn the ball over, you get shots," coach Nancy Winstel said. "Thursday, we turned the ball over 23 times and when you turn the ball over, you don't get shots. So our goal is to get shots. If you get shots, a lot of the times there's a good chance they'll go in.
"When you hit a few you gain a lot of confidence, we hit some early and that gave us confidence, and it's kind of contagious. It's like the flu — one person gets sick, everyone gets sick. One person scores, everybody scores. And I thought that scoring was contagious today."
Bellarmine (11-8, Great Lakes Valley Conference 4-6) relied on the performance of Brittany Edelen, a Division I transfer from the University of Kentucky, as she led the Knights with 22 points and eight rebounds. Edelen leads the Great Lakes Valley Conference in blocked shots at just over two per game, and she met that average against NKU.
The Norse improved to 13-6 overall with a GLVC record of 7-3, which places them third in the GLVC East Division and just one game behind the University of Southern Indiana for second place. NKU's 62-60 win against Wisconsin-Parkside on Jan. 16 was the first of their current four-game win streak.
Their next win came on the road against Maryville on Jan. 18. It was a more comfortable win for the Norse as they handled the Saints 66-53.
The following win came against Kentucky Wesleyan on Jan. 21 as the Norse topped the Panthers 51- 42. The Norse will look to continue their win streak on Jan. 28 on the road against Illinois- Springfield, who is in its first season in the GLVC.
"We're becoming not so young — we've been together for a while now," Winstel said.
Story by Drew Laskey
NKU MBB adds point guard Bryson Langdon
NKU Women's Soccer team adds transfer Mimi Stines
John Harge added to NKU MBB roster
NKU MBB introduce transfer shooting guard Adham Eleeda
NKU MBB announces assistant coaches for 2019-20 season
Norse Baseball Break Losing Streak against Oakland Grizzlies
Norse softball falls to Miami Redhawks during double-header
Darrin Horn seals the deal as NKU MBB coach


text:
Reichstag in Berlin
Berlin, East Germany, Germany
Since the period of the Holy Roman Empire the term reichstag was used to denote the supreme deliberative assembly, a precursor of the today parliament. At first, the Reichstag occupied a small building. By the end of the 19 century a larger and more impressive building was required for the sessions of the Reichstag. So, in 1884 it was decided to erect the Reichstag building in the historic center of the city, on the bank of the Spree river.
The first sessions were held there in 1894. But the sessions were held there for a short period of time. On February, 27, 1933 the Reichstag was set on fire by the order of Hitler, and then the repressions began in the country, and the parliament was practically dissolved. Rare sessions took place in the building of the opera theatre, and in 1942 they were at all stopped.
Main entrance to the Reichstag building in Berlin
Portico of the Berlin Reichstag decorated by Corinthian columns
After the war the Reichstag was in the West Berlin, but Bonn was the capital of West Germany, and the Reichstag was converted in an exposition place. After the reunification of Germany in 1990 it was decided to move the parliament of Germany (Bundestag) to the Reichstag building. The first session was held there after the reconstruction had been finished in 1999.
The Reichstag is open for visiting but you should register in advance on the web-site of the Bundestag. The visitors may ascend up to the glass dome and have a beautiful view of Berlin. Also you may see the inscriptions of the Soviet soldiers who took Berlin in 1945.
Reichstag in Berlin has been the seat of the German Bundestag since the end of the 19 century
Bas-relief on the portico of the Reichstag building in Berlin
National emblem of Germany on the on the portico of the Reichstag building in Berlin
Side portals of the Reichstag building in Berlin
German Government Building opposite the Reichstag across the Spree River
Lawn in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin
View on the Reichstag building from the embankment of the Spree River
Berliner Dom
Spree river
Unter den Linden boulevard


Gift Cards Are Available in Any Increments!
Indulge yourself, or your loved ones, with Riedel Glassware, a gift of style and elegance. You may also purchase custom-made gift baskets, wine bottle openers and wine stem accessories. If you don't see an accessory you are looking for, just ask. We will do our best to find it for you.


Based in Sheffield, England we are one of Europe's leading suppliers of contemporary bedroom furniture and high quality kitchens. We supply products around the world into DIY, construction, new-build and online markets.
From our factories in the UK, we manufacture over ¼ million doors each year and supply the hardware to manufacture a million more. We also design, manufacture and install bespoke, handmade kitchens, sold through our network of showrooms and direct to architects, developers and house builders.
We take great pride in our products and service, retaining complete control of the development process from identifying consumer needs and initial concept drawings, to design and prototyping.


text:
Q: Can't POST data to site using HttpURLConnection on Android I'm essentially trying to mimic what's been done here through the Android app but for some reason data doesn't get returned as soon as it attempts to post data (it returns fine when I delete the writer.write(finalResult) line).
All I want right now is to be able to search for a user's data once I've sent the username.
Here's my code below:
try {
        URL u = new URL(url);
        HttpURLConnection c = (HttpURLConnection) u.openConnection();
        c.setRequestMethod("POST");
        c.setRequestProperty("Content-length", "0");
        c.setConnectTimeout(timeout);
        c.setReadTimeout(timeout);
        c.setDoInput(true);
        c.setDoOutput(true);

        //Attempting to send data!
        List<NameValuePair> params = new ArrayList<NameValuePair>();
        params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("username", paramValue));

        OutputStream os = c.getOutputStream();
        BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(
                new OutputStreamWriter(os, "UTF-8"));
        String finalResult = getQuery(params);
        Log.d("params", finalResult);
        writer.write(finalResult);
        writer.close();
        os.close();

        c.connect();
        int status = c.getResponseCode();

        switch (status) {
            case 200:
            case 201:
                BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(c.getInputStream()));
                StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
                String line;
                while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {
                    sb.append(line+"\n");
                }
                br.close();
                result = sb.toString();
        }

    } catch (MalformedURLException ex) {
        Log.e("log_tag", "Error converting result ");
    } catch (IOException ex) {
        Log.e("log_tag", "Error in http connection ");
    }
    //json code!
    //parse json data
    try{
        JSONArray jArray = new JSONArray(result);
        //for each object in our json array
        for(int i =0; i < jArray.length(); i++){
            JSONObject json_data =jArray.getJSONObject(i);
            String address = "";
            //Checks for missing data in address - Need a class for all fields
            if (json_data.isNull("address")){
                address = "N/A";
            }
            else
            {
                address = json_data.getString("address");;
            }
            //read one line of the response
            myListView.setText("Username: "+json_data.getString("username")
                    +" / " + "Name: " + json_data.getString("name")
                    +" / " + "E-mail: " + json_data.getString("email")
                    +" / " + "Address: " + address);
            }
        }
        catch(JSONException e){
            Log.e("log_tag", "Error parsing data"+e.toString());
        }
}

private String getQuery(List<NameValuePair> params) throws UnsupportedEncodingException
{
    StringBuilder result = new StringBuilder();
    boolean first = true;

    for (NameValuePair pair : params)
    {
        if (first)
            first = false;
        else
            result.append("&");

        result.append(URLEncoder.encode(pair.getName(), "UTF-8"));
        result.append("=");
        result.append(URLEncoder.encode(pair.getValue(), "UTF-8"));
    }

    return result.toString();
}

And here is my php script:
<?php
$searchuser = $_GET["username"];
$databasehost = databasehost;
$databasename = database;
$databaseusername = username;
$databasepassword = password;

$con = mysql_connect($databasehost, $databaseusername, $databasepassword) or die(mysql_error());
mysql_select_db($databasename) or die(mysql_error());

$query = "SELECT * FROM testusers";
$sth = mysql_query($query);

if (mysql_errno()) {
    header("HTTP/1.1 500 Internal Server Error");
    echo $query."\n";
    echo mysql_error();
}
else
{
    $rows = array();
    while ($r = mysql_fetch_assoc($sth)){
        $rows[] = $r;
    }
    print json_encode($rows);
}
?>

A: Since you set the header Content-Length to be 0, the server doesn't even read your content... So anything you send isn't received. You should set Content-Length to finalResult.length().

A: remove this,
c.setRequestProperty("Content-length", "0");

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
About On Running Shoes
Born from runners, On shoes are defined by two simple principles; a cushioned landing and a firm take-off.
Highly Cushioned Running Shoes
On running shoes are taking the running world by force. With engineering precision and runner's input, On running shoes have cushioned support in an extremely lightweight design to make you feel like you're running on a cloud. The goal is to cushion hard footfalls to minimize stress on your feet while providing enough support to launch firmly into your next stride.
On running shoes employ a patented cushioning construction system called CloudTec® to help them reach their goals. Open pods of rubber and zero gravity foam compress to absorb impact forces. The pods also create a firm platform when compressed, which allows for explosive push-offs. Additionally, the open design of the pods saves weight, making them ...some of the lightest running shoes on the market.
In addition to their cushioning, On running shoes also employ a thin plastic layer called a Speedboard® (also patented), which helps direct your feet. As if that wasn't enough, the company has embraced sustainability by launching the Cloudneo, a line of running shoes made from completely recycled material.
Heart and Sole: A history of On
Founded in 2010 in Zurich, Switzerland, it only took a month for On to win its first shoe design award. The three founders combined their expertise in running and engineering to create cushioned shoes that are now sold in 35 countries around the world. The key to their success has been a focus on two critical elements; a soft landing and a firm platform to push off from.
Running shoes have gone through various innovations in the last few decades with a focus on both minimalist and maximalist designs. The minimalist design focuses on lightweight delivery but often lacks comfort. With their offerings, On has answered the call to deliver a comfortable, lightweight shoe while maintaining a snug fit and enough form to cater to most runners.
More than running shoes, On footwear is very stylish, lightweight, and supportive. Hollywood celebrities and famous athletes have been seen walking around in them and often praise the good grip, extra support, and extra cushioning. You don't have to live in a runner's world to reap the benefits of On shoes. On has also expanded into activewear and clothing to support its versatile shoe lines.
Are On Trail Running Shoes worth it?
Yes. On running shoes are best for gym sessions, endurance challenges, paved trails, and casual walks in urban environments. They can also be great trail shoes, but the cloudtec pods are open on either side. This means that on dirt or gravel surfaces, debris can get stuck in them, which reduces their effectiveness. Being a minimalist shoe, the comfort is there, but you also feel the ground beneath your feet, which some people may not enjoy.
Are On Running Shoes good for running?
Most of On's running shoes are focused on a minimalist design combining lightweight technology with performance and just enough cushioning to yield running comfort. They've been used extensively and to great effect in the running world. The company has also expanded into a maximalist design with the Cloudstratus, which is not only made from recycled material but is also a podiatrist-recommended shoe with even more cushioning for people experiencing foot pain.
Where are On shoes from?
On shoes were founded and developed by runners and engineers. It all came together in Zurich, Switzerland, between friends David Allemann, Olivier Bernhard, and Caspar Coppetti, who combined their expertise to create something new for runners. The shoes themselves are put together in Vietnam.


text:
Phnom Penh Post - Forum calls for more protections for construction workers
Forum calls for more protections for construction workers
Martin de Bourmont and Yon Sineat | Publication date 14 June 2017 | 10:19 ICT
Workers pour concrete at a high-rise construction site in the Kingdom's capital. Pha Lina
Martin de Bourmont and Yon Sineat
Gathering an audience of around 100 union members in Kandal province's Kandal Stung district on Sunday, a Building Woodworkers Trade Union of Cambodia (BWTUC) forum called for robust government enforcement of safety standards on building sites and a more concerted effort on the part of the Ministry of Labour to provide accident and health insurance to construction workers.
"[The] Ministry of Labour should check if the companies pay [injury insurance] through the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) due to accidents, and health care insurance," said BWTUC representative Sok Kin, arguing the government should not permit unlicensed construction companies to operate. "If the government can improve all these issues, the construction workers may get better care and lower risk in their work.''
Solidarity Centre programme officer Khun Tharo said that according to a March survey his organisation conducted of 1,000 construction workers at 50 construction sites across Phnom Penh, only 9 percent were registered with the NSSF. While construction workers make an average $7.50 a day – more than the minimum wage in the more visible and formalised garment sector – Tharo said the constant threat of injury on building sites presents a major threat to workers' safety and financial security.
"Workers face very high risk, such as falling down from the buildings ... electrocution, construction equipment falling down on them," said BWTUC representative Sok Kin.
Commenting on the BWTUC's concerns, Moeun Tola of the labour rights group Central, said the high number of unlicensed sub-contractors employing construction workers presented a significant obstacle to ensuring proper safety standards on construction sites and participation in the NSSF.
Speaking at a construction site near Phnom Penh's Monivong Boulevard yesterday afternoon, construction worker To Toy, 32, explained that while he worked for an unlicensed subcontractor, his employer promised to pay for his health expenses. However, said Toy, the employer was a "friend" from his native Kampong Cham; none of his previous employers offered to pay for his medical expenses if he was injured on the job.
Toy said he hoped to one day have injury insurance and health insurance, adding that irregular employment by subcontractors made these services inaccessible to him.
The Ministry of Labour did not respond to requests for comment.
Contact authors: Martin de Bourmont and Yon Sineat
Construction of Takeo footwear factory halted
Who's Who: How Ann Sothida went from garment factory worker to director at a Fortune 500 firm
Colossal skyscraper project still up in the air
Japanese manufacturers are still finding room to grow
Business Insider: Maintaining Phnom Penh's construction boom
Planning mayhem leaves gaps in infrastructure
Infrastructure is the key to Phnom Penh's orderly expansion and long-term growth, but the government has not made its master plan available to developers,
Lookout men stood out like a sore thumb
Japanese firm unveils plans for World Trade Center
A decade in the making: Work on Gold Tower 42 restarts in Phnom Penh


text:
Michigan State University has stonewalled Larry Nassar investigation, prosecutors say
"Both then and now, MSU has fostered a culture of indifference toward sexual assault, motivated by its desire to protect its reputation," according to the special counsel's report.
Larry Nassar is escorted by a court officer during his sentencing hearing in Lansing, Michigan, on Jan. 17.Brendan McDermid / Reuters
Dec. 21, 2018, 8:45 PM UTC
By David K. Li
Michigan State University has been stonewalling investigators tasked with getting to the bottom of the school's mishandling of sexual abuse carried out by Dr. Larry Nassar, prosecutors said Friday.
Special counsel Bill Forsyth blasted MSU for allegedly trying to sabotage the state-ordered probe, which comes in the wake of Nassar's conviction for decades of sex crimes he committed while working in East Lansing.
"Their biggest concern was the reputation of the university," Forsyth told reporters in Lansing.
Forsyth's report,released Friday as an update on the investigation, specifically accused the school of "drowning investigators in irrelevant documents," "waging needless battles over pertinent documents" and "asserting attorney-client privilege even when it did not apply."
"Both then and now, MSU has fostered a culture of indifference toward sexual assault, motivated by its desire to protect its reputation," according to Forsyth's report.
The school employed a "protectionist tactic," designed to slow the probe, prosecutors said. Requests for documents were often answered with papers — such as the school bed bug policy, local restaurant coupons and publicly available newspaper clippings — that had nothing to do with Nassar, the report claimed.
In one email, prosecutors found that Heather Swain, MSU's vice president for communications, told a trustee to copy in the university's attorney just so the thread could be hidden from investigators.
"From just the emails that MSU voluntarily disclosed, investigators caught a glimpse into MSU's culture of anti-transparency," the report said of Swain.
Swain did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
Victims and supporters look on as Rachael Denhollander speaks at the sentencing hearing for Larry Nassar in Lansing, Michigan, on Jan. 24, 2018.Brendan McDermid / Reuters file
MSU's counsel office declined comment on Friday and referred all calls to Emily Gerkin Guerrant, the school's vice president and primary spokesperson.
Guerrant insisted that MSU has been cooperating fully with the special counsel. She also said that any school documents, that could fall under lawyer-client privilege, have been turned over to a third-party judge, who has ruled whether those papers are protected from prosecutors.
"We have cooperated the entire investigation, and will continue to do so if more factual information is needed," Guerrant said in a statement to NBC News. "We are committed to working with appropriate authorities to understand fully the entire Nassar case."
The special counsel's report went on to name nearly a dozen MSU employees who learned of Nassar's abuse from the victims themselves. It said employees were aware of the abuse allegations as far back as 1998 and as recently as 2015. But in nearly every case, the employees — who included coaches, athletic trainers, fellow doctors and the school Title IX office — did nothing, prosecutors said.
Only Dr. Jeffrey Kovan, team doctor for Michigan State's basketball, soccer, track and softball programs, was named by Forsyth as having properly reported Nassar to the MSU's Title IX office.
"The MSU employees who allegedly received reports of Nassar's sexual assault or improper medical treatment (with the exception of Dr. Kovan) downplayed its seriousness or affirmatively discouraged the survivors from proceeding with their allegation," the report said.
Hundreds of women and girls, almost all gymnasts, said Nassar sexually assaulted them while treating them on behalf of his employers, Michigan State and USA Gymnastics.
In 2017, Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal child pornography charges. And earlier this year, he was sentenced to 40 years to 175 years in a Michigan state prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of sexual assault of minors. He was then sentenced to another 40 to 125 years in a separate case.
Forsyth and his team prosecutors and investigators have already brought criminal charges against five people, including ex-Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon, former Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine William Strampel and former MSU gymnastics coach Kathie Klages.
Forsyth, who was appointed by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette to investigate MSU's handling of Nassar, said his investigation is ongoing.
David K. Li
David K. Li is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.


Sophomore second baseman Shaye Gauthier had four hits on the day, including her first home run of the season, as Lake Forest split a doubleheader with visiting St. Norbert College on Saturday, falling 5-4 in the opener before taking game two 7-3.
Junior rightfielder Maddie Trost had four base hits on Friday, including her first home run as a Forester, but the team was defeated 7-3 and 6-3 at home by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Check here for the latest schedule updates for all the spring sports.
Lake Forest College softball player Emma Varsbergs was named Forester Athlete of the Week on Thursday after helping lead her team to victory in three of four Midwest Conference games in the last week.
All six of the College's spring sports are in action again this week.
Senior centerfielder Maria Zepeda reached base safely on six of seven trips to the plate as Lake Forest split a doubleheader with visiting Illinois College on Saturday, falling 4-2 in the opener before taking game two 3-1.
With six teams in action and contests on six of seven days, it will be a busy week in Forester Athletics.
Senior centerfielder Maria Zepeda had five of the team's 18 hits as Lake Forest posted a pair of victories at Cornell College on Sunday, taking the doubleheader opener 6-4 and game two 4-2.
Lake Forest split a doubleheader at Grinnell College on Saturday, falling 5-3 in the opener before taking game two by the same score for Forester Head Coach Joe Kinsella's 400th career victory.
All Forester teams are headed out of town this weekend.
Sophomore Hannah Kalnicky had a two-hit game in her return to the lineup but Lake Forest was defeated 2-0 in the opener and 5-4 in nine innings in game two of a doubleheader at Illinois Wesleyan University on Thursday.
Men's golf will compete in its first stroke play event of the spring, softball will play its Midwest Conference and home openers, track will run outdoors for the first time in 2019, men's tennis will open league play, and women's tennis will take on North Central College for the first time in five-and-a-half years.
Lake Forest College softball player Maria Zepeda was named Forester Athlete of the Week on Thursday for her performance in the team's final four games of last week's Spring Break trip to Florida.
Lake Forest College's Missy Dieckman-Meyer and Maria Zepeda were named Midwest Conference Pitcher and Position Player of the Week, respectively, on Monday. They helped lead the Foresters to a 5-5 record at The Spring Games in Florida last week.
Sophomore catcher Nicole Schussler's third hit of the day brought home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning in a 5-4 triumph over Hope College on Saturday. Lake Forest was defeated 7-3 by SUNY-Geneseo earlier in the afternoon.
Senior centerfielder Maria Zepeda reached base safely in six of seven trips to the plate and senior third baseman Emma Varsbergs belted her first home run as a Forester but their team was defeated 8-0 by Linfield College and 5-4 by Rowan University on Friday.
Lake Forest College pitcher Missy Dieckman-Meyer was named Forester Athlete of the Week on Thursday after recording two victories and a save in the previous three days.
Senior Kyra Lenzi surrendered only three base hits and junior Missy Dieckman-Meyer allowed just two as Lake Forest blanked the State University of New York-Fredonia 3-0 and Carroll University 1-0 on Wednesday.
Junior Missy Dieckman-Meyer allowed just one earned run as the Foresters defeated Montclair State University 6-2 in eight innings on Tuesday. They were then defeated 9-3 by Amherst College.
Alyssa Grimm went 4-for-4 in one game and doubled in a run in the other as Lake Forest posted an 11-9 victory over Wheaton College before dropping an 8-3 decision to Stockton University on Monday. They were the Foresters' first two contests at The Spring Games in Clermont, Florida.
A handful of Forester teams head south this week for a total of 21 contests.
Lake Forest College softball player Alyssa Grimm was named Midwest Conference Position Player of the Week on Monday after batting .400 in four games and scoring once in each contest over the weekend.
Lake Forest defeated Concordia University Wisconsin 6-3 and Lakeland University 9-7 on Sunday at The Ballpark at Rosemont.
Lake Forest was defeated 6-5 in eight innings in the opener and 5-1 in game two against Buena Vista University on Saturday. The season-opening doubleheader for the Foresters was played indoors at the Ballpark at Rosemont.
The Midwest Conference released its 2019 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll and season preview on Thursday and Lake Forest College was atop the list.
Some Foresters are looking to advance this weekend, others are in mid-season form, and one is just getting started.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced the 2017-18 NFCA Academic Teams and All-America Scholar Athletes on Wednesday and Lake Forest College was well-represented.
The Midwest Conference announced on Friday that Lake Forest College softball player Kat Beall is the 2017-18 recipient of the MWC Ruth Peterson Award.
The Midwest Conference released the list of 2017-18 Academic All-MWC honorees on Friday and Lake Forest College surpassed last year's record number of honorees with 131.