text:
The Catalog of Unfit Toys
Dear Catalog of Unfit Toys Consumer:
What makes a toy truly "special"? The joy it brings a child? The memories it evokes from an adult? A dangling chromosome?
If you're in the market for a unique, unforgettable plaything that almost but can't quite tug at the heart strings due to a faulty grasping mechanism–or thalidomide–then The Catalog of Unfit Toys has just the game, gadget or gizmo that's sure to elicit a powerful, piercing response from the tot, toddler or teen in your life.
And bargain hunters, make sure to check out our new Unfit Toys Store at the outlet mall in Paramas, New Jersey (between "It's Torn But Nice" and "Expiration Date, Schmexpiration Date"). It's the ideal place for anyone who doesn't mind a doll missing a limb (or three) and can handle the constant, ear-piercing screams that often come from such hard-luck cases.
Francesco Marciuliano, Unfit Toys CEO
#19 PROACTIVE: THE BUSINESS MEETING BOARDGAME
Created by a committee of real business managers–but not yet signed off by any of them–Proactive comes complete with six or seven card decks of still undetermined significance, a board that may or may not be round, three dice a spinner or a "to be announced," several revision notes that contradict previous revision notes but in no way refer to the original notes, a collection of inter-office emails revealing prior knowledge of the highly toxic coating used on the tokens, cards, board, box and price tag, several billion dollars of "play money" used to bail itself out and a growing fear that the board game misled consumers about its actual "family fun" value.
Update: The Toys and Playthings Commission has revealed that rumors claiming Proactive takes 19 hours to play and requires no less than 27-40 participants have eroded almost all consumer confidence in the game.
Update #2: The makers of Proactive has been forced to liquidate all assets after disclosing that most of the boxes on toy shelves were in fact empty or simply filled with Kerplunk marbles.
Update #3: Despite an outcry from shareholders, the remaining Proactive sets have been purchased by Monopoly for 12 cents each.
#18 THE DR. SEUSS COMPENDIUM OF UNPUBLISHED BOOKS
And you thought you knew all the good doctor's works!
This new compendium of unpublished or unceremoniously discarded stories features such deeply buried treasures as To Think that I Saw It with the Aid of Pharmaceuticals, Yertle the Turtle and Other Tales of Yiddish Marine Life, Oh, the Places Your Social Betters Will Go, One Drink Two Drink Three Drink Floor, Horton Hears the Who at Wembley, Hop on Pop: A CPR Guide for Toddlers, Mr. Brown Can Moo So Keep Away from Him, Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose: A Tragic Tale of Arterial Blockage and, of course, How the Grinch Stole Purim.
Also featured are several novellas Dr. Seuss penned under the name "Theo. LeSig," including Whorehouse Cell Block No. 36DD: Big, Bad and Busty, I Shot Him Just to Watch Someone Get Shot, Burning Rubber: Hot Rodder Sex Stories and Hussy Harlot: Under-Covers Agent.
#17 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY LEGO SET
Tired of assembling the Imperial Landing Craft from Return of the Jedi, Dumbledore's office from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Robert Preston from The Last Starfighter or any of a myriad of pre-designed Lego movie tie-in models that ask nothing of your mental faculties and leave you only with something recognizable but ultimately unrewarding to put on your shelf?
Then prepare to have your mind–and a good seven months–blown with the 2001: A Space Odyssey Lego Set. Your very conception of what a "fun toy" should be is challenged the moment you open the box only to find three seemingly unrelated sections, each equipped with a black monolith, their own maddeningly abstruse pieces and the use of sound in lieu of easy-to-follow instructions or even just one green platform on which to ground your creation. Then it's off to engage in several, several hours of amusement as you use little prehistoric ape-men to reenact the first discovery of tools and homicide, construct wondrous spaceplanes and space orbital stations from an apparently refinanced Pan-Am while disassembling a talking computer that serves as the set's one pop culture touchstone or just throw the whole imprecise, infuriating set against the wall as you struggle with the parallels of a floating fetus "starchild" to the nurturing amenities of a Louis XVI-era bedroom, the progression and regression of man and the birth and death of suns and ourselves only ultimately to realize that you simply could not give less of a crap.
In the end you'll have an astounding model that isn't so much enjoyable as critically-lauded, providing years of reverence and reflection while never once engaging you or your guests except when someone asks, "So…is it all just one big joke?"
#16 GIRLS GONE WILD CHRISTMAS CAROL
Ebenezer Scrooge is a despicable old miser with a heart as warm as a dying ember and a life as cold as the thin gruel he dines on nightly. That is until one Christmas Eve, when he's visited by wave after wave of nubile college girls just dying to flash their funbags for our camera and your holiday cheer!
Watch Ebenezer's unexpected guests jingle their bells and check out the boughs on Holly as these fun-loving freshman (high school or college) doff their tees and drink until their hearts are pumping Cuervo Gold. This is your chance to re-experience a holiday favorite or just spot your half-unconscious daughter shove her tongue down another girl's throat as they gyrate topless to Timbaland in the men's room.
Plus, if you order now we'll send you Girls Gone Wild Meet Oliver Twist, in which a poor orphan is forced to eke out a pitiful existence as a street urchin…until he's picked up by a Range Rover packed with 15 of the most stacked sophomores ever to appear outside a Russ Meyer film.
#15 YU-GI-WHA? TRADING CARDS
Who shall become Number One High Dark Master Magician ? Will it be Excelsior Emerito, son of Lord Rannifan of the dreaded Blue-Eyed Synchro Dragon Consortium? Or will you be able to smite your enemies and control Ghangshire with your Continuous Use Dijon Packs?
Remember to win you must conserve your Tanker-Ko fusion forces, energize with Zan-Zan Juicy Pellets and never let your Krashow fall into Shorbin or Jannisando will be your demise. Collect Granifax, short play Vladmies and Refengo the Horthblues to wrevizon flagthy quothoon kpytnmis. Ythunlox blethmanit!
Also Included: A 750-page parental manual with extensive glossary, exhaustively detailed flowcharts for each card, simulations of your children playing Yu-Gi-Wha?! and an emergency phone number to help people communicate with their children about the game.
#14 ENNUIJI BOARD
What does the future hold in store for you? How could it possibly matter? When did these kinds of questions ever hold any significance for you? Why even bother reading the rest of this paragraph?
Introducing Ennuija Board, the exciting "talking board" for those who, quite honestly, have heard enough and can't imagine that anyone or anything will ever have something interesting to say again.
First, gather around a few of your closest friends you never really had anything in common with and who you can't possibly feel further apart from even as you literally sit right next to them. Second, place your hand on the moving indicator because that's what is expected of you and not because you expect even the slightest hint of fun or fortune in return. Then third, ask yourself why you bothered to play in the first place. Seriously, what could be more tedious than a parlor game? The endless, enervating chit-chat that goes with it? The dead-eye stares of people mere fate has dictated are your companions? The distant sounds of the grandfather clock in the hall, each chime a death knell for another minute forever lost and forgotten?
Perfect for mandated get-togethers, evenings, mornings or noons that just won't seem to end or as yet another thing to do while you contemplate why there will never, ever be anything interesting, inspiring or important for you to do, Ennuija Board won't so much make your day as mark it on a calendar already teeming with X's but incapable of answering "Why?"
#13 FIRST-TIMER'S RUBIK'S CUBE
Relive that magical, now almost mythical night you finally became a man and solved your very first real puzzle with First-Timer's Rubik's Cube.
The anticipation and anxiety begin in your dorm room, older brother's car or parents' beach house as the far more experiencedFirst-Timer's Rubik's Cube calmly suggests you "Relax," "Put on some music," "Maybe have another beer" or "Stop waving that thing around."
Then once the mood is right or at least all your friends have gotten the hint and left,First-Timer's Rubik's Cube gently guides you through the mystifying process with such helpful advice as "The right…move to the right…no, the other right…SLOW DOWN! What is this?! A race?!…Oh Christ, don't apologize! Just try and concentrate on the…No…No…NO!…WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR HANDS?!?…Okay, how about we start with just one finger…"
Whether you ultimately complete the puzzle to your emotional and physical satisfaction or wind up several hours later with nothing but a cramped hand, self-loathing and the crippling fear that you're never, ever going to get it right, First-Timer's Rubik's Cube is sure to be the one toy you'll always remember, whether in your dreams or in your nightmares.
#12 THE BERENSTAIN BEARS GO PRIMAL TREASURY
That upstanding ursine family from childhood throws off the shackles of civilization and finally embraces its grizzly and grisly instincts in this new collection of bedtime reading musts.
Stories include The Berenstain Bears Rub Themselves against Trees, The Berenstain Bears Wander Aimlessly for Several Days in Search of Suitable Sex Partners and this year's Caldecott Winner, The Berenstain Bears Eviscerate a Couple of Campers and Their Dog.
#11 CNN CRIB CRAWL
Sure, mobiles over the baby's crib are nice but why waste your wee one's formative years teaching them basic shapes and colors when they can learn that 200,000 Chechnyan rebels have amassed on the outskirts of Moscow?
Just install the news crawl along the inside perimeter of the child's crib. Then marvel as your infant's eyes grow wide and their mouth goes agape while he or she is fed such up-to-the minute global political and economic reports as India resuming nuclear arm testing, the colossal fallout from the subprime crisis, the emergence of Islamic militancy in Cambodia and the rumored cancellation of The Backyardigans.
Let's face it, your newborn spends most of his or her day in a fetal position. Why not give them a good reason to stay that way?
#10 PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE SIMON
Introducing a party game that finally captures all the mirth and merriment of chronic resentment, indirect stubbornness, unexplained sullenness and even disavowed resistance!
Simply turn Passive-Aggressive Simon on and wait. And wait. And wait. The game can go for hours without uttering a sound or emitting a single flash, all the while expressing a willful misunderstanding of what it is you want it to do or claiming forgetfulness of its own instructions.
But avert your eyes for just one second–just one!–and out comes a quick but ambiguous series of blips and lights . Did it go blue-red-green? Did it indirectly blame you for why it took so long to start? Was that sequence of lights sincere or sarcastic? Is it trying to incite anger and disappointment by purposely failing at its own assigned task? Does it think it's unfairly being held to too high of a standard by being used as a party game? And why did it leave a note about which colors it flashed instead of just telling you face-to-face?
Yes, with Passive-Aggressive Simon you'll enjoy everything from trying to play a game with a game that fears competition and confrontation to trying to have a relaxing night with a toy that seemingly wants to foster chaos and inefficiency to trying to get through just one round with a gadget that doesn't get why you're suddenly so angry and severely critical even as it resists every attempt you make at having just one moment without it muttering yet another negative response or prematurely admitting defeat by turning itself off.
#9 9/11 JENGA
Remember the innocent joy of watching one move transform a tall, rectangular structure into a heap of bricks?
Well, no more! That's because the new 9/11 Jenga is as strong as our nation's freedom and as resilient as America itself. First each wooden brick is hot-glued to one another. Then the entire tower is encased in form-fitting Lucite, permanently affixed to your kitchen table with a steel spike and patrolled by a phalanx of 4,000 army figurines, model helicopters and Estes rocket launchers, all under the watchful eye of 600 cameras posted around your house without your permission or prior knowledge. The result is a childhood classic you and your family can once again safely enjoy if not approach or touch.
Estimated completion date: 2049.
#8 THE HARDY MEN MYSTERY NOVELS
We all grew up with the Hardy Boys. Isn't it time they grew up with us? Now comes a new series of books written specifically for an older—if not particularly wiser—generation. Each edition in the new Hardy Men Mystery Novels library details the exciting adventures of our now middle-aged but still intrepid heroes, including:
The Hardy Men and the Case of What's-His-Face, Y'know, That Guy…I Think It Begins with an M: Yep, Frank and Joe are off on their latest escapade, only to suddenly forget who they were pursuing. Frank is certain he wrote it on the back of his shopping list while Joe yells at his kids to keep quiet for just one goddamn minute so he can think straight. Eventually the two go back to the couch and watch SportsCenter.
The Hardy Men and the Missed Financial Opportunity That Really Could Have Gotten Them Back on Their Feet: Recently downsized from their jobs and trying to make ends meet, Frank and Joe are let in on a sure-fire investment by Chet, only to be held back by a now complete lack of self-confidence. The two then spend the next several months dreaming about how they could have flaunted their wealth in front of their so-called friends.
The Hardy Men and the Case of Those Thieving Bastards Down at the Car Dealership: When Frank and Joe go to lease some previously owned SUVs, little do they know that they'll be the ones taken for a ride. But six hours and seven charges for "undercoating" later, the brothers feel horribly violated and not all too certain about how their wives will react to matching Serbian-manufactured Yugos.
The Hardy Men Inadvertently Kill Most of Their Day at Home Depot Buying the Wrong Drill Bit before Going to Brewster's Pub to Watch Their Local Team Not Win Enough to Cover the Spread and Hear that Hot New Piece of Ass behind the Bar Call Them "Old Timers" and then Driving Home to Each Find Their Home's Foundation Cracking, Their Boiler Dying and Their Youngest Son Being Encouraged to Consider Only Trade Schools or Food Service Training Programs at the Tender Age of Five: Frank and Joe go back to Brewster's and drink themselves blind.
The Hardy Men Grow Eerily Silent While Flipping through Their High School Yearbook: While looking for the DVD manual to see how to remove a Dragon Ball Z figure out of the disc tray, Frank stumbles across his old high school yearbook. The brothers then spend the next three hours in quiet reflection, reliving long-forgotten accomplishments, recalling all-too-fleeting glory and imagining having sex with every single girl in their 12th grade class.
So whether you want to relive a childhood classic or just have something to hide your face behind while your kids scream at each other at the dinner table, The Hardy Men Mystery Novels will let you experience true adventure without the usual shortness of breath and aching joints that now seem to accompany everything you do.
#7 BOB THE CONTRACT BUILDER
When you first open the hastily assembled, inexplicably untreated and three-times-the- initial-cost-estimate box for Bob the Contract Builder you'll make a startling discovery–Bob's not in there.
But just wait a few days or seasons and the uninsured and unlicensed Bob is certain to arrive at your doorstep, neither contrite nor sober. Then it's time for another's day work that may or may not occur at your house but will almost certainly appear on your bill.
One of this year's hardest to find toys (despite an oral contract), Bob the Contract Builder comes fully loaded and surly to boot, featuring three out-of-service phone numbers, no physical business address, several incorrectly-sized planks of the wrong lumber, sheetrock instead of copper pipes, a rambling rant against Mexicans and his last wife and $10,000 of your money.
#6 MY DRINKING BUDDY
Your favorite childhood chum has gone from PlaySkool to the bar stool and is ready to teach you everything he knows, from saving cash by bringing a rum flask to pubs and just buying Diet Coke to making money by doing anything–and we mean anything–for a dollar.
So why drink alone when this rummy raconteur will go wherever you go…so long as you're buying. Just get him a double, pull his string and hear him spout such insightful, occasionally incomprehensible witticisms as "The bitch left me" "What kind of man drinks hard lemonade? A wo-man!" "I said, play some fuckin' Merle Haggard!" and "Oh Christ, I can't go to jail again."
Also available: My Pot Pal, featuring such memorable mumblings as "Is it Tuesday?" "Are those Funyuns?" and "Am I still working at Mellow Mushroom?"
#5 BLACK MARKET OPERATION
It takes a steady hand–and a Styrofoam cooler–to win in this big money makeover of a family favorite.
We've taken that beloved bulbous-proboscis patient, drugged him into a near-coma and dumped his inert body in a tub full of ice in a condemned tenement building. Now all you have to do is make your incision and take your slice of the huge cash payoffs. So what will it be? Heart? Kidney? Stem cell?
Whether a sultan needs a fifth liver or you need a quick and dirty way to pay off Sally Mae, this cut-up classic is sure to leave your whole household in stitches.
#4 CARE-FOR-ME BEARS
These cuddly cubs will immediately grab your heart…and never, ever let go.
Have fun with your extremely huggable playmates as they repeatedly call your cell phone for reassurance or reconnaissance, make numerous yet vague allusions to migraines, the flu or lupus and pepper their conversations with such sweet nothings as "I can't handle this," "If you really love me," "Last night I dreamed you cheated on me…how could you?" and "If I didn't have you I…I just don't know what I'd do…"
Before you know it these beseeching bears will have systematically alienated both your friends and family until it's just the two of you alone, sitting on the couch, staring at the next 40 years while waiting for the sweet release of death.
#3 COMMUNITY SERVICE BARBIE
Why do time for "The Man" when you can do time for your fellow man?
Thanks to a minor run-in with the law (suffice it to say it involves a busload of orphans no longer in need of homes) and a major coup for celebrity-judicial relationships, Barbie is now making the most of her 1100 mandated hours with the "Barbie Inner City Community Center Playset."
Let the healing–and the fun–begin as Barbie greets her hard-luck charges with such insightful, invaluable remarks as "Eww, what's that smell?" "You would look so much prettier if you straightened your hair," "Don't go into hiding. Just take him for everything in the divorce," "Um, my agent specifically stated there would be no touching" and, of course, "You want a new life? Then let me just say three little words—'Elizabeth Arden facial.'"
#2 JACK-IN-THE-SKINNER-BOX
Yes, there's nothing more surprising and satisfying than a clown popping out of a small box. But only the most ADD-addled child will still be startled by the third or fourth turn of the crank.
Thanks to the Jack-in-the Skinner-Box, however, every time is sure to be a new experience. The fun begins the moment you close the lid. That's because inside we've installed new behavioral psychology technology that allows us to conduct numerous environmental conditioning experiments. One time Jack will be repeatedly shocked with electrodes. Another time his floor may instantly heat up. Maybe screaming voices will constantly belittle him or rats will come pouring into his container.
Whatever the action the reaction is sure to be priceless as Jack comes shooting out of his box, shaking violently, referring to himself as "Other Jack," speaking in a language all his own making or simply pleading, "For the love of God, kill me!"
You never know what you'll get with the one toy that's bound to be as startled as you are.
#1 IRISH ROCK 'EM SOCK 'EM ROBOTS
Watch the Guinness and blood flow in equal measure as these two glazed-eyed Gaelics fight each other in the name of…well, okay, that part remains a little fuzzy.
We've replaced the typical boxing arena with a cozy pub (your choice of "The Lacerated Lamb" or "The Immolated Terrier") and exchanged the red and blue robots for the all-too-colorful Seamus and Other Seamus.
To start, simply select one of the three following rummy remarks: "More men have been inside your mum than in Trinity College," "I wanted a go at your sister but Maureen Siobhan Mackenzie doubled her rates" or "It's five o'clock! Who wants some?!" Then sit back and enjoy as the soused Seamuses go at it with the ferocity of a heavyweight fighter and the accuracy of a blind, palsy archer. After several minutes of mercilessly and mistakenly pummeling walls, stools, soccer memorabilia and a wholly startled Father Seamus O'Reilly, the Celtic cutups will break into tears, embrace, cry out "Jesus, what are we fighting for?!" and order a round of drinks for the house, all while singing that beloved Irish ballad, "Christ, I'm So Hungry I Could Eat My Own Feet But Then I Couldn't Outrun The Rats."
Also Available: Italian Double Trouble, complete with one unlicensed Berreta and an extra-long mailbag for "storage."
April said, on September 20, 2008 at 5:25 am
Holy crap this was great stuff. I stumbled over something of yours at youtube and came to your site. What a fantastic treat! I howled over the absolute precision and accuracy you jibed at the toys! I have a 7 and 4 year old so the Yugi_wha? cards really got me because my son plays that with his friends and I have NOT a clue as to how the hell it works… reference to the 750 manual really got me because that is so damn true…really need one! Other stuff was great too. I forwarded your site to several of my friends that really would relate to your humor!
Thanks so much for the laughter!
Howard_NYC said, on October 1, 2008 at 12:01 am
It took about five entries, before I realized these were parodies and not really being sold.
Oy.
Still funny, once I got past my well-deserved paranoia.
E-mail me an advisory for the 2008 update to what promises (threatens) to be a season for somber refelction, re-gifting and dissatisifcation due to meager budgets…
Jacob Singer said, on November 11, 2008 at 9:32 am
The Dr. Seuss and Lego Space Odyssey in particular had me, well, laughing out loud.
Cyrus said, on January 4, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Hilarious. Came across it at random somehow, and read em all. You have no idea how much I appreciate this type of humor!!
Vital Acai Berry said, on January 28, 2009 at 9:36 pm
haha I loved this. I had just stumbled across this and so very glad I did. Thanks for the great laugh!
bakugan hydranoid said, on February 13, 2009 at 1:29 pm
The passive agressive Simon is already out, just let the batteries run low on a regular simon.
AirForbes said, on July 10, 2009 at 12:02 am
My nephew's Magic cards come with a poster-size foldout of the 750 page manual condensed to teeny-tiny type on one side, and a flowchart that appears to depict the inter-relationships of all US federal and state agencies on the reverse, and it has not helped me one bit. My eyes just glaze over.
Robert said, on November 25, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Hmm…cool, I never believed I could read all of this at once
Riku said, on April 16, 2010 at 5:59 pm
LOL at Bob the Contract Builder.
Been there seen it. I am almost in the phase I can laugh about it now.
Jessie said, on March 2, 2011 at 8:18 pm
Ces, you are a master. I want to see every single one of these toys / games manufactured before next Christmas.
red4 said, on March 3, 2011 at 3:31 am
I fucking laughed my ass off through the whole thing.
E.A. Blair said, on May 20, 2014 at 9:42 am
How about – TransGenders(TM) – action figures that, with a twist of their parts, change from male to female and back.


text:
Rural broadband push to add 20 jobs, fast Internet to 82,000 in Wisconsin, Michigan
Nathan Phelps
A plan by Microsoft and a rural internet provider to bring broadband access to more than 80,000 people in northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula could spur jobs in the region.
A recently announced agreement between the Washington-based tech giant and Packerland Broadband of Iron Mountain, Michigan, is expected to provide expanded broadband service in the two states by 2022.
RELATED: Microsoft program aimed at sparking tech skills in northeast Wisconsin
RELATED: Wisconsin groups join Microsoft's effort to close the rural broadband gap
The program will create about 20 jobs with Packerland for implementation of new equipment, but officials also see it as a way to spark expansion of digital education, business and jobs in the sparsely populated northern regions.
"We've got a vision of reviving the Northwoods of Wisconsin and making it a place people want to come back to rather than migrating away," said Cory Heigl, Packerland's vice president. "Every day it gets harder to survive up here when you have a lack of services. It's about trying to bring back rural America."
Packerland Broadband plans to spend $2.7 million on the project the first two years, and could spend that amount, or more, over the remaining two, Heigl said. Work on the project is expected to start this spring or summer.
The program is part of a wider effort, named TechSpark, launched last fall by Microsoft in northern and eastern Wisconsin to expand broadband and foster additional technological and job growth in and around Green Bay and the Fox Cities. Microsoft's president, Brad Smith, is from Appleton.
The plan calls for Packerland to utilize unused TV frequencies (known as "white spaces") and Wi-Fi hardware to connect with existing wireless and fiber coaxial cable systems.
Almost 34,000 people are expected to receive the service by the end of 2019, and about 82,000 by 2022, according to Microsoft.
Efforts here are part of a larger push to provide rural broadband to a greater swath of the nation as part of the Rural Airband Initiative, which also includes digital skills training for residents of newly connected communities.
"We'll be partnering with folks like 4-H to help bring skills and digital training to those areas," said Shelley McKinley, Microsoft's general manager of technology and corporate responsibility. "The jobs of the future all have some digital aspect to them, whether you are a computer science engineer … or you want to run a small business, having digital skills is essential to your future and your opportunity."
Wisconsin counties included in the plan are Marinette, Forest, Florence, Oconto, Langlade, Oneida, Marathon, Clark, Wood, Portage, Eau Claire, Ashland, Iron, Douglas, Juneau, Vernon, Dodge, Outagamie, Chippewa and Price.
Michigan counties in the plan are Dickinson, Iron, Menominee, Chippewa, Mackinac, Luce and Gogebic.
Heigl said there could be further expansion of this type of service in the future.
Consumer prices are not yet set, but will likely be between $40 and $70 a month for broadband internet access, he said.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: ES query ignoring time range filter I have mimicked how kibana does a query search and have come up with the below query. Basically I'm looking for the lat 6 days of data (including those days where there is no data, since I need to feed it to a graph). But the returned buckets is giving me more than just those days. I woul like to understand where I'm going wring with this.
{
     "version": true,
     "size": 0,
     "sort": [
         {
             "@timestamp": {
                 "order": "desc",
                 "unmapped_type": "boolean"
             }
         }
     ],
     "_source": {
         "excludes": []
     },
     "aggs": {
         "target_traffic": {
             "date_histogram": {
                 "field": "@timestamp",
                 "interval": "1d",
                 "time_zone": "Asia/Kolkata",
                 "min_doc_count": 0,
                 "extended_bounds": {
                     "min": "now-6d/d",
                     "max": "now"
                 }
             },
             "aggs": {
                 "days_filter": {
                     "filter": {
                         "range": {
                             "@timestamp": {
                                 "gt": "now-6d",
                                 "lte": "now"
                             }

                         }
                     },
                     "aggs": {
                         "in_bytes": {
                             "sum": {
                                 "field": "netflow.in_bytes"
                             }
                         },
                         "out_bytes": {
                             "sum": {
                                 "field": "netflow.out_bytes"
                             }
                         }
                     }
                 }
             }
         }
     },
     "stored_fields": [
         "*"
     ],
     "script_fields": {},
     "docvalue_fields": [
         "@timestamp",
         "netflow.first_switched",
         "netflow.last_switched"
     ],
     "query": {
         "bool": {
             "must": [
                 {
                     "query_string": {
                         "query": "( flow.src_addr: (  \"10.5.5.1\" OR \"10.5.5.2\" ) OR flow.dst_addr: (  \"10.5.5.1\" OR \"10.5.5.2\" ) ) AND flow.traffic_locality: \"private\"",
                         "analyze_wildcard": true,
                         "default_field": "*"
                     }
                 }
             ]
         }
     }
 }

A: If you put the range filter inside your aggregation section without any date range in your query, what is going to happen is that your aggregations will run on all your data and metrics will be bucketed by day over all your data.
The range query on @timestamp should be moved inside the query section so as to compute aggregations only on the data you want, i.e. the last 6 days.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Apply almond oil under your eyes and gently massage the area. This action is good for marinating healthy blood circulation and for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. Use this remedy every night before going to the bed.
Make a mixture by mixing 2 teaspoons of sweet almond oil and teaspoons of honey. Use this mixture for massaging the area under your eyes. Leave it on for overnight. Rinse it off in the morning.
Make smooth paste by combing equal amount of sweet almond oil and all-natural milk powder. Apply this paste under your eyes. Leave it on for at least 10 minutes and then wash it off.
Olive oil massage is also beneficial in the treatment of dark circles.
Wash your face in the morning and keep small ice packs on your eyes and leave them on for 10 minutes.
Try to keep your body well hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
Take plenty of good night sleep.
Apply cucumber slices or potato slices on your eyes ( if you want you can also apply cucumber/potato juice) leave them on your eyes for about 15 minutes.


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Elisabeth Köstinger is an Austrian MEP and member of the European People's Party (EPP).
After years of controversy on the authorisation of genetically modified maize and potatoes, heated debates on risk assessment and the role of EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), the stalemate in the Council on granting EU member states the possibility to opt out of GMO cultivation on their territory finally came to an end. A compromise suggestion by the Greek Presidency in March 2014 had paved the way for an agreement in Council in July. Subsequently, Parliament picked up where it had left off in 2011 and started the second reading.
The debates in the environment committee were emotional, to say the least. Every MEP had a personal opinion on the topic, ranging from fierce rejection of GMO to avid defence, thereby reflecting a considerable rift between member states' positions. The Council position, as a basis for discussion, was not to everyone's taste. In particular its core element, the 2-step procedure that required the "applicant's" approval to the member state's demand to opt-out, was subject to heated debates amongst political groups.
There was a widespread concern among the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Liberals, that sovereign governments would be at the mercy of private multinational GMO companies, thereby creating an unnatural equilibrium between the two. However, from a legal point of view there was no way around the integration of the applicant. A scenario in which a government bans a previously authorised GMO is from its national territory without giving the authorisation holder an opportunity to react is bound to end in front of the European Court of Justice.
With the final compromise, though, according to which the first phase is voluntary, this problem could be solved to mutual satisfaction. The proposed measure further foresees mandatory co-existence measures, a review of the environmental risk assessment procedure and reporting on potential damages related to GMOs. Following the recent publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, governments can make use of these new provisions as of April 2015.
As shadow rapporteur for the European People's Party (EPP), I am largely satisfied with the final agreement, even if it came at a price. Transforming the European authorisation procedure to the point where member states can ban authorised products does violate single market rules. This was not an easy decision ? after all the single market is one of the EU's most fundamental achievements.
However, as elected representatives of EU member states, we cannot ignore our citizen's growing scepticism about GMOs. Just a few weeks ago, new scientific findings on the travel range of pollen forced the Commission to delay its decision on authorising another variety of GM maize. This clearly demonstrates how little we know about this technique. It is our responsibility, though, to manage these risks, take our citizen's resentments seriously and act accordingly. A review of the existing authorisation procedure is highly necessary. In times of euroscepticism and fear of over-regulation, it would not be wise to impose GMOs on countries who do not want them. Thus, freedom of choice is a fair solution.
From now on, when it comes to the question of GMO cultivation, member states will have the freedom of choice, and full legal certainty for whichever decision they take. National governments will hence be able to answer to their citizen's GMO preferences directly, and no longer use "the EU" as a scapegoat. Enabling member states to opt out of GMO cultivation is a step forward, even at the price of weakening the single market. We need a European Union that is closer to our citizens and reacts to their concerns, even if that means breaking one's own rules once in a while.
I am fully convinced that European agriculture should, for its own benefit, concentrate on remaining GMO-free. This road may prove to be a bumpy one since in some sectors, such as protein crops for animal feed, Europe is heavily dependent on importing genetically modified products from third countries. Measures such as increasing the soy production in Europe, exploiting alternative protein sources and creating relevant infrastructure and markets could however contribute to reducing this dependency, and promote a decrease of meat consumption.
The EU has already adopted pertinent policies. In the long term, the benefits would clearly outweigh potential risks ? committing to GMO-free agriculture and food will open up not only new economic, but also ecological and public health opportunities for Europe.


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Family & Education selected
Education & Family
'Ban faith-based school selection' demands new campaign
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22798206
Image caption A new group says faith-based admissions policies can fuel segregation and distrust
All state-funded schools should be open to all children, regardless of religion, demands a new campaign.
The Fair Admissions Campaign wants to ban state schools in England and Wales from selecting pupils on faith grounds.
The new group says religion-based admission policies can fuel segregation and cause "distrust and disharmony".
A spokeswoman for the Catholic Education Service rejected "the unfounded claim that Catholic schools are socially divisive".
The group which includes the British Humanist Association (BHA), the Accord Coalition and the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education warns that a faith-based admissions system can have a damaging effect on communities.
No other public service, such as hospitals, would be allowed to restrict access on religious grounds, say the campaigners, who argue that faith-based selection is "fundamentally wrong".
'Incredibly unfair'
They add that allowing children to grow up with friends from a range of religious backgrounds teaches pupils to understand each other.
"This campaign is important because it is incredibly unfair that children are unable to get into a local school because their parents are not of the right religion or have no religion," said Pavan Dhaliwal of the BHA.
"This causes divisions in society. In a healthy society children should be able to interact with each other regardless of their background.
"Segregation, racial or religious, causes distrust and disharmony."
Under the current system faith schools that are over-subscribed can select pupils based on their religion.
The new campaign states that a "substantial majority" of faith schools prioritise pupils on grounds of faith. They claim there is evidence that religious segregation can lead to social segregation as some parents find it easier than others to attend church regularly.
They add that their own research suggests that children eligible for free school meals, a key measure of poverty, are likely to be concentrated in non-faith schools.
They suggest that non-religious secondary schools have 30% more pupils on free school meals than average, while Roman Catholic Schools have 23% fewer and Church of England schools 18% fewer.
Ted Cantle of the Institute of Community Cohesion said: "Our communities remain riven by the differences which we should be learning to set aside.
"Religiously selective schools cannot of course be held solely responsible for these problems, but they do underpin a system in which children learn that they are 'different' and in which everyday contact is denied."
'Parental choice'
Rabbi Jonathan Romain, chairman of the Accord Coalition, said: "Whether you are religious or secular, a key value is fairness."
He added that faith-based admission risked teaching children "a terrible lesson about us and them and at the very age when we should be promoting inclusivity and equality. It is the wrong message and at precisely the wrong time."
The Catholic Education Service said government statistics showed pupils at Catholic Schools were both more ethnically mixed than average and more likely to be from the poorest areas than those at other schools.
A spokeswoman said: "This patchwork quilt of community schools and schools with a religious ethos places parental choice at the heart of the education system."
A Church of England spokeswoman said: "Church of England schools serve the local community and have done for more than 200 years being the first provider of free education for all.
"They are hugely popular with parents which means they are often over-subscribed and take pupils of all faiths and none providing a high quality, effective and inclusive education with a distinctive Christian ethos."
A government spokeswoman said: "Schools must abide by the admissions code and no school can refuse children if there are places available.
"New academies and free schools with a faith designation which are oversubscribed must allocate at least half of places to children without reference to faith."
Michael Gove calls for faith pupil limit in Twickenham school
Catholic school in admissions row
Call for fairer school admissions
Faith schools 'serve privileged'
Fair Admissions Campaign Let?s open up all state-funded schools to all children, without regard to religion
The Catholic Education Service
The BHA British Humanist Association For the one life we have
Accord Coalition
Family & Education Sections


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Pressroom» News
Monday, 15th June 2015, London
Three things you didn't know about Slovenia
Did you know that Gorenje was founded in Slovenia? With the upcoming European Championship England v Slovenia match this Sunday, we thought we would take the opportunity to tell you a little more about the country we hail from.
Slovenia, officially called the Republic of Slovenia is located in Europe, sandwiched between Croatia, Austria, Hungary and Italy. It has a population of over 2 million people and covers 20,273 square kilometres. Well, that's the basic stuff out the way, now it's time for our top three fun facts about Slovenia;
The oldest vine in the world lives here
Slovenia is home to the world's oldest vine and it's still in use today! It is located in Maribor, a city in the north-east and Slovenia's second largest city. It is estimated that the vine is over 400 years old and it even holds its own Guinness world record.
You can pay to stay in a prison cell
It's true! Although, it's not a prison any more but a youth hostel called Hostel Celica, located in Slovenia's capital Ljubljana. The building served as a prison for over 100 years and has since been renovated into a funky art hostel. In 2001, more than 80 local artists combined forces to save the building. They were each given 2600 Euros to renovate their own cell, which resulted in every room having its own unique style.
Your wildest wish may come true
There's a wishing bell located in the beautiful church on Bled Island. As legend has it, a young widow Poliksena who lived in Bled Castle had a bell made for her late husband. However, as it was being moved to the church, a terrible storm struck. The boat sank with the crew and the bell, which is still said to ring from the depths of the lake. After the widow had passed away, the Pope blessed a new bell and sent it to Bled Island. It is believed that if you make a wish and ring the bell, your wish will come true.
We hope you have learnt a little more about our home-country, it may not have quite persuaded you to support Slovenia, but may the best team win...!


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Tag Archives: Geoffrey Norris
If You Can't Speak Up, WRITE! LORS to LOSOM
Next Tuesday's Stuart meeting and others of the ACOE, for input on updating the Lake Okeechobee Operations Schedule, are quickly approaching; if you cannot attend in person, please write. Today I share the letter of Geoffrey Norris PhD, FRSC, who my blog readers are familiar with as he has been a guest writer many times. His is an excellent letter, and can give you ideas of how to compose your own, if you cannot attend in person.
Tuesday, February 19, 2019, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Indian River State College
The Clare and Gladys Wolf High-Technology Center
2400 SE Salerno Road, Stuart, FL 34997
Thank you everyone for being part of the River Movement that is changing state politics and policy so we can leave something better to the children of today, and in the future.
2013, Ceila Ingram, K.C. Ingram's daughter, one of the original River Kidz.
Dear Dr. Ann Hodgson
Re: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District's meetings for input on the development of a new Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) (https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/LOSOM/)
SCIENCE AND STRATEGY FOR MITIGATING CYANOBACTERIAL AND ALGAL BLOOMS IN FLORIDA WATERS
My name is Geoffrey Norris, and I am a resident and property owner in Martin County, Florida. I have recently provided the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with written input to your scoping meetings in the way of anecdotal evidence suggesting that the ACE-mediated water releases are having a devastating impact on the ecosystems of the coastal areas in east Florida. This, in my judgement, is having a severe negative impact on the economy of Florida, which is largely built on and sustained by the natural aquatic ecosystems. I now wish to provide you with my scientific opinion on the cyanobacterial (blue-green) blooms and dinoflagellate blooms (red tides) that are associated with the destruction of ecosystems of the lacustrine, estuarine and coastal waters of much of Florida's littoral zone.
In the following discussion, the acronym ACE refers to the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
But first let me outline my credentials: I have been actively involved as an earth scientist in the study of microscopic algae (dinoflagellates) and associated organic micro-organisms for about 50 years. My expertise is as a paleontologist, not as a biologist, but I am familiar with earth science and life science literature pertinent to fossil and living dinoflagellates and associated organisms. I have written many research papers on the subject, and am a co-author of a seminal book on the classification of living and fossil dinoflagellates, which continues to be widely referenced by research scientists. I am a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto where I directed a research laboratory devoted to organic-walled algal microfossils for more than three decades prior to retirement, and was Chair of Geology for a decade. I was a visiting scientist for several months at the Florida Marine Research Laboratory, St Petersburg (now incorporated in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) researching aspects of the life cycle of certain dinoflagellates. I have taught students about marine-estuarine ecosystems in field trips to Florida Bay, the Everglades, and the Keys. I am old enough to remember how Florida once was in the 1960s before habitat destruction had become so severe. More recently I have been involved in extensive applied paleontological research on the geology of the outer continental shelf and continental slope flanking the Gulf of Mexico, including documenting the evolutionary history and ecology of marine and brackish dinoflagellates over the last 60 million years in the Gulf and the adjacent southern states. I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, which is more or less equivalent to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences that recognizes the country's leading research scientists for outstanding achievements.
Background to the problem
As you know, Lake Okeechobee has been converted over the decades from a once-dynamic lake system to a virtually static reservoir. In the early days, input to the Lake was provided upstream by a variety of rivers. Output occurred over the southern rim, discharging water seasonally into the uniquely very wide and very shallow "River of Grass" that traversed the Everglades, and eventually drained into Florida Bay. Over the years (1930-1960), in response to various circumstances, the southern rim was raised and strengthened and eventually became the Herbert Hoover dike. At that point, the lake ceased to exist functionally as a dynamic system, and might now be better called the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir. It is a semi-static system with no natural outflow, and now functions to trap nutrients and hold them indefinitely until the water managers make decisions regarding discharges. This is the nub of the problem – how to control and release water, in what quantities and in what directions, and how to remove the nutrient and microbial overload from the water. For many years the problem was simplistically stated as a flood control measure, but as the nutrient loading and consequent lake eutrophication became more apparent it also became clear that dumping excess water from Lake Okeechobee into outflow canals directed to the east and west coasts was creating a major problem, not solving one.
Cyanobacteria and the Army Corps of Engineers
During the latter two or three decades of the 20th century, phosphorus in the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir increased markedly. High phosphorus content tends to favor cyanobacteria such as the toxic Microcystis, and tends to exclude microscopic and generally benign algae which otherwise might be expected in a lake, for example: dinoflagellates, diatoms, green algae, and other planktic or benthic photosynthetic organisms. Major blooms of blue green toxic cyanobacteria became more frequent and intense in the early 21st century, and now are close to becoming a persistent annual feature in Lake Okeechobee and in the ACE water-dumping grounds. The seasonal release from the Lake by the Army Corps of Engineers of highly toxic water infected with cyanobacteria is simply not acceptable. This is not a solution – this is a travesty and a betrayal of trust by ACE for the American people it serves through their elected representatives in Congress.
The Mission of ACE is clear: "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' mission is to provide vital public engineering services in peace and war to strengthen our Nation's security, energize the economy, and reduce risks from disasters" (emphasis is mine). Unfortunately, you seem to be doing the exact opposite. How secure can the public feel when you poison our water? How can you claim to energize the economy when you are driving Florida's principal industries into the ground? How can you claim to be reducing risks from disasters when you are pumping toxic effluent into our environment and endangering the lives of humans and animals alike with disastrous consequences for the ecosystem?
No, clearly you are on the wrong track, and you need to reevaluate how you handle the remediation of the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir. Here are some ideas that might be worth exploring as you re-formulate your strategy.
Get rid of the phosphorus from Lake Okeechobee Reservoir
High phosphorus loadings in bodies of water are not new, particularly since the advent of the green revolution in the 1970s. Fertilizer mixes are applied liberally to agricultural land on a global basis, and nutrient pollution of freshwater and marine water bodies is becoming commonplace. Getting rid of bio-available phosphorus (dephosphatisation) in the water and the bottom sediments of the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir would help to reduce the probability of toxic cyanobacterial blooms forming. One possibility is the use of lanthanum-modified bentonites, kaolinites, or zeolites to permanently remove the phosphate from the water. These dephosphatisation agents have been used elsewhere in the world to remediate lakes that have undergone eutrophication and massive cyanobacterial infection. Why not the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir?
Other alternatives to clay minerals used for dephosphatisation include such substances as fly ash. Fly ash is produced in abundance in the Everglades Agricultural Area when the sugar cane is burned off during harvesting– could these tens of millions of tons of vegetation accruing annually be converted to fly ash and captured and collected and used to lock up the phosphorus, rather than continue the present practice of discharging fly ash into the atmosphere and polluting the area for miles around all the way to the coast?
Get rid of the toxic microcystins from the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir
Just a few days ago, a paper was published showing that microcystins (toxins associated with cyanobacteria) from Lake Erie could be removed by using treated rice husks as a sorbent material, and then recycled or disposed of using sand ("Treated rice husks as a recyclable sorbent for the removal of microcystins from water, Dilrukshika et al, Science of the Total Environment, available online 5 February 2019, Elsevier.") Perhaps there are other agricultural waste products that could be used for this purpose in addition to rice husks. Now is the time to come up with big bold ideas with the potential to address this huge issue. Sitting with your hands on the flood gate controls will solve nothing.
Army Corps of Engineers – stop killing our brackish estuaries with freshwater discharges
Even if nutrients and toxins can be removed from Okeechobee water, the Army Corps of Engineers must stop displacing brackish water that occurs naturally in our estuaries and lagoons with massive amounts of lacustrine freshwater. Freshwater is certain death to estuarine sea grasses, shell fish, bonefish, marine vertebrates and other estuarine fauna and flora. Sending massive amounts of freshwater to offshore marine areas is also not an option for similar reasons and must be stopped forthwith.
ACE should think big! Send the water south again, into the wetlands where it was once a vital component. ACE should think Marjorie Stoneman Douglas's "River of Grass"! Reconstructed wetlands to bio-cleanse effluent are not new technology, having been used since the mid-20th century, and are now being aggressively installed to efficiently cleanse polluted water in areas such as Lake Erie which has huge nutrient pollution problems and attendant toxic cyanobacterial problems.
Stop using glyphosate/Roundup to kill cattails (Typha) in and around Lake Okeechobee Reservoir.
The Army Corps of Engineers has been killing cattails and other littoral zone plants in and around the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir with glyphosate (Roundup) since at least the year 2000, according to the ACE website. This efficient vegetation killer is known also to magnify the effects of phosphate release in sediments, hence favoring the growth of cyanobacteria. The cyanobacteria in turn are known to be potentially capable of becoming genetically resistant to glyphosate toxicity. Glyphosate is suspected of being harmful to human health, although its putative harmful effects are controversial. Recent court judgements, however, support its status as a carcinogen. For all these reasons, ACE must discontinue the use of glyphosate/Roundup in the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir, and must enforce the ban of back-pumping potentially toxic effluent from the sugar cane fields to the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir.
Red tides and the Army Corps of Engineers
The continued release by the Army Corps of Engineers of massive amounts of nutrient-rich water from the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir into the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico is contributing to the problem of red tides in marine coastal waters caused by blooms of the dinoflagellate, Karenia. Red tides have plagued Florida for a long time, but in recent years blooms of Karenia have changed from being an occasional seasonal nuisance, to a chronic, multi-seasonal, multi-year threat to human health. Nutrient pollution is one of several factors implicated in the rise to prominence of Karenia red tides. The Army Corps of Engineers has a continuing responsibility to preserve the marine ecosystems of Florida as well as reduce the risks to human health by discontinuing the discharge of nutrient-rich water from the Lake Okeechobee Reservoir to the marine coastal waters.
In conclusion, the Army Corps of Engineers is faced with a huge problem, but this should be looked upon as a huge opportunity for your organization to exert its leadership and provide the vital engineering services to the people who so desperately need them.
Thank you for reading my views on this really important issue. I cannot emphasize enough how important it will be when ACE makes the transition to a modern environmentally-conscious organization that truly provides vital public engineering services in peace and war to strengthen our Nation's security, energize the economy, and reduce risks from disasters.
I sincerely wish your organization both good luck and adequate funding from Congress and elsewhere to carry out your mission effectively.
Geoffrey Norris PhD, FRSC
Acronyms:
~2008 Lake Okeechobee Operating Schedule (LORS)
~2019: Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM), a component of the Central & Southern Florida (C&SF) System Operating Plan
February 15, 2019 Guest writer, Uncategorized(LOSOM), ACOE scoping, algae blooms, dates for LASCOM, Do it for the Kids, FRSC, Geoffrey Norris, Geoffrey Norris PhD, Ideas for writing a letter to ACOE, If You Can't Speak Up, Jacksonville District's meetings for input on the development of a new Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM), K.C Ingram, LASCOM, letter, letter to Army Corp, LORS to LOSOM, my scientific opinion on the cyanobacterial (blue-green) blooms and dinoflagellate blooms (red tides), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, WRITE!, WRITE! LORS to LOSOMJacqui Thurlow-Lippisch One comment so far
Sugarcane, Indians, and Roundup, Professor Geoffrey Norris, SLR/IRL
Today I share the second paper of guest, Geoffrey Norris Ph.D. I recently shared Blue-green algal blooms in the lakes, rivers, and marine waters of south Florida surrounding Lake Okeechobee.
I must admit, I hesitated publishing this second paper, "Sugarcane and Indians," as I am sure some may interpret it as "politically incorrect." I apologize to anyone who may, but I decided to print Dr Norris' paper because the main message is important.
The message is:
"Is Sugar's use of ripening stalks with "Roundup" feeding toxic algae blooms and why are lands/waters south of Lake Okeechobee "protected" while ours of the northern estuaries are not? "
You will learn something about this in Dr Norris' paper below, and I thank him for sharing his work.
In closing, I believe we have something important to learn from history and the Native People of North America; I admire them. They are great warriors and respect Nature, the gift of our Creator. And in the case of the Miccosukee, they "never surrendered" and if I have anything to do with it, neither will we.
(http://www.miccosukee.com/tribe/)
JTL 2015 Miccosukee Reservation, Tamiami Trail
This blog is the work and opinion of Professor Geoffrey Norris
Geoffrey Norris Ph.D. FRSC
http://www.es.utoronto.ca/people/faculty/norris-geof/
.."In the 1960s, I lived and worked as a petroleum exploration geologist in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Subsequently, I spent almost 40 years at the University of Toronto in teaching and research in geology…A geologist by training, I have a specialized knowledge of fossil algae, their ecology, morphology, and distribution. I have published hundreds of scientific papers on fossil algae and related topics." ~Geoffrey Norris Ph.D.
Sugarcane and Indians
The area around Lake Okeechobee accounts for almost half the total production of sugarcane in the United States.
Sugarcane in south Florida is very needy of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, but nitrogen fixed in the muck soils largely eliminates the need for extra nitrogen fertilizers.
Sugarcane also demands the use of the phosphorus-rich herbicide "Roundup" (glyphosate) several times each year. Firstly, in the fallow season (approximately May-September) to control weeds and allow the sugarcane underground rhizomes to regenerate. Secondly, as the new shoots come through in the Fall to continue weed control. Thirdly, during maturation and harvesting (October through March) glyphosate is applied to "chemically ripen" the sugarcane and improve sugar yields.
Land south of Lake Okeechobee could be used for storage and bio-cleansing of excess lake water. However, the 1997 water quality agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Miccosukee Indians (aka Mikasuki, Miccosuki) states that phosphorus shall not be present in quantities greater than 10 parts per billion, and that no substance shall be present to stimulate algal growth and produce objectionable algal densities in the 300,000 acres of tribal lands in the Everglades south of Alligator Alley.
This legal agreement would suggest that Lake Okeechobee waters destined for southern storage must be cleaned to rigorous standards before discharge into southward flowing streams feeding the Everglades, at least near the Miccosukee tribal lands.
A case could be made for the sugar industry and related agriculture to "clean up its act" to mitigate the effects of heavy fertilizer and herbicide usage on the environment in general and on lake and stream waters in particular.
First about nutrients and farm land and how much is planted in sugarcane.
Here are three maps that graphically answer the question about the extent of sugarcane plantations:
A couple of years ago I had the opportunity the fly over the area south of Lake Okeechobee in a light plane at about 1000ft altitude. The extent of the sugarcane is truly mind-boggling. Its plantations surround the entire southern perimeter of the Lake and reach to the horizon. Smaller plantations occur elsewhere around the Lake. It is a very big operation.
Now to the nutrients themselves. I had a great deal of difficulty finding precise information on how much fertilizer is applied per unit area. There were general articles that confirmed that sugarcane is very needy of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers together with other elements. It is after all a giant grass, so just think how much stuff you have to put on your own lawn to make it grow green! Apparently, in the south Florida area the need to apply nitrogen fertilizer to sugar cane is not so critical because the mucky soils generate their own nitrates through soil microbial activity. However, phosphates must be applied as fertilizer for sugarcane at various times of the year together with potassium etc. But actual numbers were hard to come by, other than that sugarcane is voracious for fertilizers. This is when I stumbled upon some marvellous work that the U.S. Geological Survey has been doing on the extent and the total quantitates of pesticides being applied to farmland across USA. I used their maps of glyphosate (Roundup) as what I thought might be a reasonable proxy for phosphate fertilizer. In other words, if you use Roundup as a weedkiller on crops, then very likely you will be using fertilizer as well. It turns out I was right and I was wrong! First take a look at this summary map for two separate years, 1992 being the earliest year available in this USGS study:
Details are difficult to see in these summary maps but the originals are much clearer. The area around Lake Okeechobee was already in 1992 applying large amounts of glyphosate, and this intensified in succeeding years. What I didn't understand was why the sugarcane fields should be so needy of weedkiller – fertilizers OK, but why so much weedkiller? It would seem that 25% of the cost of sugar production is due to heavy nutrient need (up to 75 lbs phosphate per acre, with 400,000 acres in sugarcane in south Florida). But weedkiller. Then I dug deeper following your email comments and found out why. Indeed glyphosate is used at least three ways on sugarcane as follows:
Firstly, during the fallow season (approx. May-September 2016) following harvesting, glyphosate is applied to control weeds which would otherwise grow up and choke out the underground cane sugar rhizomes left in the ground to regenerate as the next crop.
Secondly, glyphosate application continues in different amounts as the new shoots come through in the Fall. This is tricky because glyphosate kills just about anything that is green, but careful control can kill the young weeds while not harming – at least not very much – the young sugarcane shoots. Other herbicides are also involved but glyphosate is the big one.
Thirdly, the sugarcane matures and is harvested in the winter months at various times from October through March. During this time the stem of the sugarcane ripens and becomes rich in sugar (sucrose) prior to going to the mill. Astonishingly (to me anyway) it has been found that about a month or two prior to harvesting, another application of glyphosate will help ripen and enrich the crop with significantly more sugar. This process is called "chemical ripening". Other chemicals can be involved but glyphosate is a popular choice (it got cheaper once Monsanto's patent expired in the year 2000).
So yes, I think cane sugar farming is being pursued intensively, but I'm not sure how it can be stopped. Its effects on Lake O could be mitigated as discussed in my previous document but stopping an entire industry would be almost impossible to my mind. Cleaning up the sugar industry might be a more realistic aim.
Change of land usage and water flow.
It would be nice to think that Lake Okeechobee water could be redirected southwards along its original historic course on its way to the Everglades. Here's a graphic of how things used to be:
For thousands of years, water drained from Lake O through a wide series of shallow tributaries and interconnected lakes to the Everglades. It's unlikely that this could be recreated but certainly use of land south of the Lake for water transport and storage and bio-cleansing of some sort or another would be an improvement. However, it would seem that this is unlikely given the actions of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its agreement in 1997 re the Clean Water Act with the Miccosukee Indians, a tribe which occupies part of the Everglades.
Click to access miccosukee.pdf
This agreement set out comprehensively water quality standards for the Tribes drinking water, wildlife habitat water, and recreational water (boating, swimming etc). In particular, Section 3 reads:
MICCOSUKEE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION CODE
SECTION 3. Tribal Water Quality Standards
The following minimum water quality criteria shall apply to all surface waters of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida unless those water bodies are designated with higher or stricter water quality standards. Stricter standards for a given water body shall supersede these general Water Quality Standards. These standards shall provide a legal basis for including whole effluent toxicity requirements in all federally issued permits.
(there follows a list of 16 physical, biological, and toxicological conditions of which these two are particularly germane):
E. NUISANCE CONDITIONS: Plant nutrients or other substances stimulating algal growth, from other than natural causes, shall not be present in concentrations that produce objectionable algal densities or nuisance aquatic vegetation, or that result in a dominance of nuisance species instream, or that cause nuisance conditions in any other fashion. Phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations shall not be permitted to reach levels which result in man-induced eutrophication problems. Total phosphorus shall not exceed 10 parts per billion in Class III-A waters. In Class III-B waters, total phosphorous discharges shall not be made which result in undesirable aquatic life effects or which result in chronic or acute toxicity to aquatic life.
N. NUTRIENTS: In no case shall nutrient concentrations of Tribal Class I or Class III-A surface waters be altered so as to cause an imbalance in natural populations of aquatic flora or fauna. Total phosphorus concentrations shall not exceed 10 parts per billion in Class III-A waters. In Class III-B waters, nutrients shall not be discharged which result in undesirable aquatic life effects or which result in chronic or acute toxicity to aquatic life.
So what this and other sections of agreement mean is that nutrient-rich water from Lake Okeechobee must be cleaned to rigorous standards before discharge into southward flowing streams feeding the Everglades. So bio-cleansing within the Everglades – or at least near the Miccosukee tribal lands (about 300,000 acres in the vicinity of the Tamiami Trail and Alligator Alley) is not a possibility within this legal framework.
However what's good for the goose is surely good for the gander. I looked into the history of the Miccosukee Indians, and it would seem they are only fairly recent arrivals in Florida, arriving about the same time as Stuart was being settled. The Miccosukee appear to have originated in what is now Georgia and then migrated south to north Florida where they became entwined with the Seminoles. After the Seminole wars of the 19th century they migrated to central Florida in the late 1800's and then decided to disentwine themselves from the Seminoles as a culturally distinct society. They appear to have seen an opportunity during the construction of the Tamiami Trail in the first quarter of the 20th century and migrated further south and became embedded in the adjacent Everglades. First Florida (1957) then federally (1962) they became recognized as a tribe distinct from the Seminoles.
Meanwhile in th early 20th century, as the migrant Miccosuki Indians were settling down in their new home in the Everglades as "Trail Indians", Stuart was incorporated as a town (1914) then a city (1925) after being settled by migrant northerners about half a century earlier. Total population of Stuart is now about 16,000.
640 migrant Indians – how many are fishing and frogging? 16,000 migrant non-Indian northerners – how many lives and livings are being disrupted by ruined beaches and waterfronts?
the Indians pushed for a great deal from EPA and got it. So now a total of about 640 Miccosukee (Mikasuki) Indians (some now living in Miami-Dade and not the Everglades) can pursue their supposedly traditional way of life (fishing, frogging, subsistence agriculture) plus gaming resorts and casinos and tobacco shops – while many of the 151,000 citizens of Martin County are prevented from pursuing their traditional way of life. Surely our waters (habitat, recreational, drinking) should be subject to the same rigorous standards as laid down by the EPA/Clean Water Act for the people living in the Everglades.
We are all equal – as George Orwell said – but some are more equal than others. Well, so it seems. What do you think?
River of Interest, ACOE, The Ultimate Hammer, chapter about the lawsuit http://141.232.10.32/docs/river_interest/031512_river_interests_2012_chap_12.pdf
Alligators and Litigators: Keith Rizzardi http://www.floridabar.org/DIVCOM/JN/JNJournal01.nsf/76d28aa8f2ee03e185256aa9005d8d9a/d0fe7ce69afa102885256adb005d635e?OpenDocument
Previous blog post, Norris: Blue-green algal blooms in the lakes, rivers, and marine waters of south Florida surrounding Lake Okeechobee: http://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/tag/dr-norris/
March 24, 2017 Guest writer, Uncategorizedblue green algae, chemically ripen, dexter, Education, Environment, fertilizers, Florida, geoff, Geoffrey Norris, glyphosate, guest, indians, inspiration, IRL, Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, Lake Okeechobee, learning, legal, miccosukee, muck soils, nature, nitrogen, norris, phosphorus, round up, Roundup, southern storage, Sugar, Sugar Industry, sugarcane, Sugarcane and Indians, university of toronto, water, water quality, why are northern estuaries not protectedJacqui Thurlow-Lippisch View all 7 comments


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Technology and culture sit at the forefront of Jeff Grice's success as Owner and President of RE/MAX Evolution, Evolution Property Management and RE/MAX Evolution Commercial Division.
by Rick Weinberg, Editor-in-Chief, California Business Journal
(Photo above: Jeff Grice, President of RE/MAX Evolution, overlooking the Newport Beach landscape)
BY RICK WEINBERG, CALIFORNIA BUSINESS JOURNAL
By the time he was 13 years old, Jeff Grice was already trading derivatives, options, futures and debt securities. His friends could barely understand what a stock was, let alone determining or understanding the valuation of a company.
"I didn't talk about it all with my friends," Grice says. "They just didn't get it. I was definitely an unusual kid when it came to understanding complex finance and analytics. My grandfather was a great stockbroker in Detroit and taught me everything about the markets. I was just one of those kids who 'got it.'"
When the 13-year-old Grice (rhymes with nice) accumulated $300 dollars from doing assorted jobs around his Metro Detroit neighborhood, he begged his parents to let him invest in the markets. He zeroed in on a company called Omnicom, a leading marketing and corporate communications company.
"I am convinced this company is going to break out," he told his parents.
His parents agreed and Grice invested his entire savings. "The stock went up tens of thousands of percentage points in two years," he says with a smile.
With that windfall, and many others that followed, Grice was able to purchase his first real estate investment property by the age of 18. By 23, he earned enough to move to Newport Beach, Calif. and began purchasing investment properties throughout Orange County.
Today, he's on the cutting edge of residential, commercial real estate and property management as Owner and President of RE/MAX Evolution, Evolution Property Management and RE/MAX Evolution Commercial Division.
After 350 percent growth the last three years at his downtown Laguna Beach, Calif. boutique firm, which houses 27 agents and did $125M in sales in 2016, he just launched a second office in Newport Beach, right at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Via Lido.
Jeff Grice
As he gazes out of his corner office with a dazzling view of the city on this beautiful Southern California afternoon, Grice discusses his new-age, tech-driven business philosophy and how his agents produce an average of $6 million annually, nearly double the average.
"First off, we focus on quality not quantity, unlike most other real estate offices in Orange County and Southern California," he says. "Some companies have 200+ agents and don't even know their names and what makes them tick."
So the 32-year-old whiz kid decided to concentrate on building a dynamic business that focuses on the agents and provides them with an unparalleled culture and support system that enables them to thrive.
"It's an amazing firm," says Debi Larsen, who previously worked at Sotheby's. "Jeff has a fresh, young way of looking at the business – it's the total opposite of the way things have been going on in this business for decades.
"I was tired of the corporate old school way of thinking and then I met Jeff and boom!" she says. "The old corporate way of looking at things is history. A lot of people don't know that yet but it is, and they need to wake up to that."
The kitchen of a Nellie Gail property sold by Grice's team.
At other real estate companies, there are so many levels of management that it seriously bogs down the process. That's not the case with Grice and his firm.
"If an agent at one of the bigger firms has a question, it takes a week to get an answer, if they're lucky," he says. "Not here. We have an unbelievable 24/7 support system in place. I believe in support and I believe in culture. I don't think people yet realize the importance of a great environment and how it affects you and the way you conduct your everyday life.
"A great culture opens you up," he says. "Some agents don't even realize how great the impact is until they truly experience it at a firm like ours. A lot of people fail in their profession because of the culture they're in. It's not the brand or the company — it's the culture that gets them or doesn't get them to perform at their highest ability."
Part of Grice's culture is his slick new office with hardwood oak floors throughout the office and a cool, calm bluish color theme that reflects California.
Next, throw in his use of technology and social media. He uses Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and every other platform that enables him to reach the masses with available properties. He has over 175,000 social media connections. On Instagram alone, he has 115,000+ followers.
"Jeff manages it all from A to Z," Larsen said. "He knows where to put it and how to put it and it's critical because this is where the next generation of buyers are."
Gorgeous ocean view from one of Grice's San Clemente properties
When Grice was looking for the right real estate company to partner with, RE/MAX was the ideal fit because of its culture, flexibility, business model and philosophy.
RE/MAX is the largest real estate brand in the world. It is in over 100 countries so owners, brokers and agents receive maximum exposure. It also boasts the highest productivity per agent, double the average of the industry.
"I interviewed several companies but I was dissatisfied with them so I decided I was going to build the business independently," Grice says.
But then RE/MAX contacted him and that changed everything.
"We met and we hit it off," Grice says. "They're very entrepreneurial and that was the best fit for me. Under their umbrella, I'm able to do what's best for my company. The other companies are very corporate and too structured. RE/MAX lets you 'be you' and create your culture from the ground up. I am allowed to mold the company any way I want. That's what attracted me to the company."
When RE/MAX Director of Franchise Development Lance Somerville met Grice, he was blown away with his character and savvy business talent.
"Jeff understood math and running the numbers better than anyone I've come across in the industry," Somerville says. "While his real estate experience was different than what we normally look for, he piqued my interest because of his background in commercial, property management and residential.
"With his background and experience, he just has a huge profound understanding of numbers. He understands financing at a deeper level than most people I had ever come across."
When Somerville caught a glimpse of Grice's business plan, he was sold and insisted to upper management to snag Grice immediately.
"His business plan was by far the best one I had ever read," Somerville says. "To bring him into RE/MAX was a no brainer. He is the absolutely the best fit imaginable for us."
Jeff J. Grice, Owner/Broker
RE/MAX Evolution
Evolution Property Management
www.REMAXEVOLUTION.com
302 Glenneyre, Laguna Beach, Calif.
3471 Via Lido, Newport Beach, Calif.
Tags: agentBeachbrokerBusiness PlanCaliforniacommercialcommercial real estatecultureDetroitdevelopmentEstatefinancefinancingfocusfranchiseinvestmentJeff GricejobsLaguna BeachLos Angeles Business JournalLos Angeles Business NewsmarketingNewport BeachniceOrange Countypropertiesproperty managementRE/MAXRE/MAX Evolutionreal estateresidentialsavingsSocial MediaSouthern Californiatechnologytwitter
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Aaron Wood
Fintech Firm's Stock Drops By 30 Percent Following Announcement of SEC Investigation
Fintech company Longfin's stock fell 30 percent following the announcement of an SEC investigation into their purchase of a Blockchain-based lending firm.
Following the announcement of an investigation by the US Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) into is business, stock value of the fintech firm Longfin dropped by 30 percent, CNBC reported April 3.
Longfin disclosed the investigation in a public 10-K filing to the SEC on April 2. Longfin shares closed 30.89 percent lower today, trading at $9.89 a share. This year so far the stock is down by 82.43 percent.
Longfin is a NASDAQ-listed fintech company (LFIN) whose market cap skyrocketed more than 1,000 percent in two days last December following an announcement that they acquired Ziddu.com, a firm specializing in smart contracts and micro-lending using Blockchain technology.
LFIN Stock Chart Dec. 2017-April 2018
Source: nasdaq.com
The Division of Enforcement of the SEC informed Longfin on March 5 that they would be investigating trading in the company's shares and requested documents regarding its IPO and acquisition of Ziddu.com. Longfin expressed its full intention in cooperating with the SEC investigation in the 10-K filing:
"We are in the process of responding to this document request and will cooperate with the SEC in connection with its investigation. While the SEC is trying to determine whether there have been any violations of the federal securities laws, the investigation does not mean that the SEC has concluded that anyone has violated the law."
Even Longfin CEO Venkat Meenavalli acknowledged the enormous spike in stock value last December, stating, "This market cap is not justified. I valued my IPO pricing at $5." Meenavalli added, "We are a profitable company… We have nothing to do with this euphoric mania."
In January of this year, the SEC reported it would crack down on companies that used public enthusiasm surrounding Blockchain technology to manipulate their stock prices.
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Report: Matt Barnes to turn self in soon to NYPD for New York nightclub fight
By Kurt HelinJan 27, 2017, 5:17 PM EST
There were reports a month ago out of New York that police in the city were close to arresting Sacramento Kings wing Matt Barnes for what happened during an altercation at a Chelsea club where he and DeMarcus Cousins had gone. Barnes' representative claimed any actions by Barnes were in self-defense. However, video of the incident reportedly shows Barnes as the aggressor and choking a woman, it was the argument between Barnes and this woman which started everything, according to the report. Both Barnes and Cousins have already been sued in civil court over the altercation.
Now Barnes likely will turn himself in to New York police, reports the New York Daily News.
NBA player Matt Barnes is expected to soon turn himself in on misdemeanor assault charges for allegedly assaulting a woman during a brawl at a Chelsea nightclub, police sources said Friday.
The Dec. 5 free-for-all happened at hotspot Avenue on 10th Ave. and involved Barnes, fellow Sacramento King DeMarcus Cousins and other patrons, including a woman whose argument with Barnes sparked the melee….
Police however said only Barnes, 36, is going to be charged. He is expected to travel to the city shortly, possibly as soon as next week.
Barnes likely will not have to appear in court after that, and in the majority of these criminal cases it is pled out quickly. However, the civil trial could go on for some time.


The Max Steel digital ads for Mattel were designed and developed to present the characters from a new show to a young audience. There were several phases of the campaign and several looks introducing the heroes and villains but the highlight was the Choose Your Own Adventure story mode in the expanded and pushdown banners. A user could play and replay the story to enter the Max Steel world, meet the characters and use the weapons. I provided the development for all of the ads in the rich campaign.


2004; 726 pages. Genre : Mystery-Thriller. Overall Rating : B.
A charred body is found in a house on Long Island. It appears to be a case of SHC (Spontaneous Human Combustion). None of the surroundings are burnt - just the victim, but he appears to have been fried from the inside out. Oh, and there's the small matter of a cloven hoof branded into the floorboard.
After a second murder under similar circumstances, FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast and detective Vincent D'Agosta work to find a connection and a motive, and to see whether this is the work of natural or supernatural forces.
Preston & Child have the thriller motif down pat; this is another good effort by them. There's lots of action, no slow spots, a bunch of threads to follow, and a couple red herrings to keep you on your toes.
Pendergast and D'Agosta are a knock-off of Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson. Indeed, Brimstone reminds me of The Hound of The Baskervilles, with maybe a dash of "Wild Wild West" thrown in.
At 720 pages, this could've been downsized a bit. And the characters seem a bit two-dimensional, although maybe that's just because I read this immediately after The Grapes Of Wrath. Finally, there was one short burst of preachiness in it - aimed at the Fundamentalists. And while I pretty much agree with the sermonette, it nevertheless seemed out-of-place and uncalled for in a mystery novel.
Brimstone is the fifth book in Preston & Child's Pendergast series. I've read #1, #5, and #8. Although they follow the same formula, there is still enough variance in the plots to where they don't become stale. And despite being the first book in a "trilogy within a series", this is a stand-alone story. I like that. It's much less aggravating than some series, such as Robert Jordan's The Dragon Reborn, where you work your way through a thousand pages, only to discover that nothing gets resolved. We'll give Brimstone a solid "B", and recommend it especially to Arthur Conan Doyle fans.
Now see, I'm way too obsessive-compulsive to read series books out of sequence.
There's always that saying that the book was better than the movie, but this review makes me wonder, how do thriller/crime novels compare to all the crime dramas on television right now (CSI, Law and Order, etc.)?
Do people that like reading thriller/crime novels necessarily also enjoy crime drama television?
I like the crime dramas on television, but in keeping with my snootiness toward genre fiction, I haven't read any thrillers or mysteries lately.
CSI is probably more technical than Brimstone. IMO, a closer match would be Cold Case, where (in most cases), the key clue is some little off-hand comment or previously overlooked trinket.
if you took Cold Case, then threw the supernatural into some, but not all of the episodes, you'd be close to the Pendergast series.


I bought stock in VF Corporation (VFC).
When I first learned about VF Corporation, I had no idea what they did. I originally found them on the Dividend Aristocrat list which means they are a company that has paid and increased their dividend for the last 40 consecutive years so they must be a solid stock. But, what the heck does VF do?
Well, while VF Corporation might now be as familiar to folks like Exxon or Dr. Pepper, but the brands they sell are probably very familiar to you. Scroll down to the about section for more about them.
Once you learn what they do, you might understand why I'm comfortable with this stock. Especially with school back in session and the cold weather coming upon us.
VF Corporation is engaged in the design, production, procurement, marketing and distribution of branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and related products. The Company's segments include Outdoor & Action Sports, Jeanswear, Imagewear and Sportswear. It owns a portfolio of brands in the outerwear, footwear, denim, backpack, luggage, accessory, sportswear, occupational and performance apparel categories. Its products are marketed to consumers shopping in specialty stores, department stores, national chains, mass merchants and its own direct-to-consumer operations. Its direct-to-consumer business includes VF-operated stores, concession retail stores and e-commerce sites. Its brands sell products in international markets through licensees, distributors and independently-operated partnership stores. Its brands primarily include The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Wrangler, Lee, and Kipling.
VFC recently came out with their quarterly earnings report in which I thought were fine. However the stock market did not think so. As a result, the stock got smacked down by 10% in a day.
When I am shopping around for stocks to buy, I love seeing stuff like this. And it's just another great reason why to keep some extra gunpowder (cash) in your portfolios. Opportunities always pop up in the market and when they do, I capitalize.
There's nothing wrong with this fine company. They did not impress Wall Street so they got dinged. To me, that presents an opportunity to buy. If already owned shares, I would add on this generous discount.
VF Corporation a solid, blue chip company and one of the largest retailer stocks in the world. The company has been around for over 100 years and should be around long after I'm gone.
They are also a dividend aristocrat. That means they have paid and raised their dividend for the past 40 years. In prior articles I've discussed why dividend aristocrat stocks are best for me. Their current dividend is $2.04 with a dividend yield of 2.62%.
As are all of the stocks in my IRA portfolios, VFC is an investment, not a trade. While the stock will fluctuate up and down like all stocks do, it is my opinion that the stock goes up long term. Buying VF Corporation at a big discount sounds like a good deal to me.


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Home / Publications / Terms Used for People Living With HIV in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Terms Used for People Living With HIV in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
For this study we conducted in-depth interviews with 29 youth living with HIV (YLWH) and key informant interviews with 8 HIV care/support providers. We describe terms used to portray people living with HIV (PLWH) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Labels commonly used, mostly derogatory, described PLWH as walking corpses, dangers to others, or people deserving to die before others get infected. Blame and other accusations were directed at PLWH through anchoring or objectification. Being labeled sometimes made these youth suffer in silence, afraid to disclose their status, or avoid performing actions in public, preferring to let others do them. YLWH need psychosocial support to mitigate the harmful effects of these labels and strengthen their coping skills, whereas community, institutional, and national efforts are needed for stigma reduction.


You must succeed Santa's test to make sure that you have the Christmas gift of your dreams!
Santa in the box. Santa's puppet going out of a gift box while checking how well you behaved throughout the year to decide what kind of Christmas present you deserve. The Christmas box has a question on the outside: Did you behave well this year? In the internal side you can read: What kind of Christmas present do you deserve?
Santa is frowning his eyebrows in a formal attitude and seriously asking: Are you sure? A branch of evergreen holly with red berries is going out of the box at the same time than Santa.
Download this funny image and have fun sending it to your friends!


The 122 units that comprise the Alloy Residences in Assembly Row are the only condos in that sprawling Somerville development-as-neighborhood (or neighborhood-as-development, take your pick).
And those sole condos are proving especially popular. The Alloy will not be move-in ready until around this time next year, but the Collaborative Companies, the marketing firm charged with selling the condos, says more than 45 percent have been spoken for during barely eight weeks of pre-sales.
What's more, some condos have traded for more than $1,000 a square foot. Such a sum would be notable anywhere in Somerville. In Assembly Row, along the Mystic, it's positively historic.


In April of this year, the Association of Appraisal Regulatory Officials (AARO) came together at a meeting during which several key items were discussed. One of those topics came from an executive session being referred to as "aggressive efforts to restrict the reach of Title XI of FIRREA's reforms." During that meeting, a senior representative of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) made a presentation that included a statement to the effect that the FDIC only considered about 1 in 10 real estate related financial transactions to fall under Title XI. In addition, the FDIC suggests that if the additional de minimums increase currently being considered is adopted, that number would fall to about 4 percent.
Reverse mortgage loans have overcome some initial market resistance, thanks to a great deal of proactive education provided by the industry, and are now increasing in popularity. These home finance products are attractive to senior citizens who have equity in their homes and want to supplement their income. The Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) is insured by the U.S. Federal Government and only available through an FHA-approved lender.