Squash City - Looking for fitness in Amsterdam?
Looking for fitness in Amsterdam?
Then it's time you discovered Squash City in Amsterdam! Visit us or register with the form below.
Register now and you could make it onto the Squash City guest list! There is limited space on the guest list every week. Fill in the form below and discover right away whether you are one of the lucky people who can join with credit in the amount of € 100. Note: the guest list is only available for people 16 years of age or older.


Euonymus is a bushy evergreen shrub. They can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees, often with fine autumn colour, and small flowers followed by colourful fruits.
Euonymus emerald and gold have rounded, golden-edged, deep green leaves. Makes good ground cover and brightens up any border. They can reach a height of 1 meter. Spread 1.5m.


The charger is built into the base of the SE370, a 1080p computer monitor from Samsung.
The development would allow medical devices like pacemakers to have smaller batteries and be placed deep within the human body.
The South Korean technology firm has tested super-fast fifth generation or 5G wireless technology but it will be a while before its released to the general public.
Samsung has already been locked in court battles with Apple over the use of technology in their various mobile phone and tablet devices.
It is hoped that the introduction of free, high-speed wireless broadband access would attract business and investment to the city.


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La Capricieuse & Crémazie's Old Soldier
Posted by michelinewalker in Canada, History, Literature, New France
France, French Canadian, French Revolution, Institut canadien, La Capricieuse, Le Vieux Soldat canadien, Octave Crémazie, Province of Canada
I would like to tell you about French-Canadian poet Octave Crémazie (1827-1879). Crémazie wrote « Le Vieux Soldat canadien, » a poem featuring an old Canadien soldier watching the harbour and asking his son whether or not the French can be seen. France returned, but the arrival of « La Capricieuse », in 1855, did not signal a rebirth of New France.
La Capricieuse
As unbelievable as it may seem, it had been ninety-two years since France had visited its former colony. From 1763 to 1855, no French ship had come from France to what was, in 1855, the Province of Canada.
The ship, a Corvette, arrived at Quebec city on the 14 July 1855, Bastille Day, a day which meant very little to French-speaking Canadians. In fact, as devout Catholics, many of them looked upon the French Revolution (1789-c. 1794) as the moment when the French clergy had been imperiled to such an extent that many priests had to flee their native land.
French-speaking Canadians who witnessed the arrival of « La Capricieuse » were overwhelmed. They may have known that, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763), France had chosen Guadeloupe over New France. But it may have been comforting for the former citizens of New France to think that they had simply lost a battle, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham was a fifteen-minute battle fought on 13 September 1759. Yet, the short battle claimed the life of its two commanding officers: 32 year-old Major-General James P. Wolfe and 47 year-old Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. French-speaking Canadians look upon that defeat as the catastrophe that caused New France to become a British colony. The defeat is a major factor in this narrative, but it doesn't tell the full story. It is better for French-speaking Canadians to think they were defeated, than ceded to England. Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763), France chose to cede New France in order to keep Guadeloupe.
The Literary Movement of Quebec: Octave Crémazie
Octave Crémazie, baptized Claude-Joseph-Olivier,[i] (1827-1879) was the leading member of a literary school created in the wake of Lord Durham's remark to the effect that French-speaking Canadians did not have a history and lacked a literature. That remark had been offensive to French-speaking Canadians and the decision to assimilate them was also unacceptable. They had been living in on North-American soil since the 1600s, tilling their thirty acres of land.
François-Xavier Garneau (1827-1879)
When he was appointed Prime Minister in 1842, (1827-1879) addressed the assembly in French and French-speaking Canadians set about to prove Lord Durham wrong. François-Xavier Garneau (1809-1866) wrote a three-volume Histoire du Canada, published between 1845 and 1848. Moreover, a literary movement was created in Quebec city, called Le Mouvement littéraire de Québec (the Literary Movement of Quebec or the Patriotic School of Quebec.)
Octave Crémazie was the leader of that particular school and was one of the founders of l'Institut Canadien. Although he declared bankruptcy and had to seek refuge in France, in 1862, never to return to Canada, these circumstances did not tarnish his reputation as a poet. He is considered the father of French-Canadian poetry. During his years of exile in France, he kept in touch with members of group. He and Henri-Raymond Casgrain wrote to one another. But he had become Jules Fontaine and died in poverty.
The Encyclopædia Britannica on Crémazie
In The Encyclopædia Britannica, the "national bard," is described as "[a]n extraordinarily learned man, educated at the Seminary of Quebec [who] started a bookshop in 1844 that became the centre of an influential literary circle later referred to as the Patriotic School of Quebec (or the Literary Movement of Quebec)." Writers and historians met in "la boutique à Crémazie," Crémazie's shop.
Britannica also tells us that "[i]n 1861 Crémazie and his friends began issuing a monthly magazine of literature and history, Les Soirées Canadiennes, to preserve the folklore of French Canada" and that among Crémazie's most "famous patriotic poems are 'Le Vieux Soldat canadien '(1855; 'The Old Canadian Soldier'), celebrating the first French naval ship to visit Quebec in almost a century, and 'Le Drapeau de Carillon' (1858; 'The Flag of Carillon')."[ii] At Carillon, New France won the battle.
Le Vieux Soldat canadien
However, the poem we are looking at is "Le Vieux Soldat canadien." The old soldier is certain France will return and keeps asking his son whether or not the ships can be seen on the horizon. Each eight-line decasyllabic (10 syllables) stanza ends with a haunting: Dis-moi mon fils ne paraissent-ils pas? (Tell me, my son, are they not within sight?). As he was dying, (« mais en mourant ») the old soldier was still telling his crying son ( « il redisait encore » ) that he, the son, would see the dawn (« l'aurore ») of that great day, when they would return (« Ils reviendront ! »), but that he [the father] would no longer be alive (the full text is online).
Mais en mourant, il redisait encore
À son enfant qui pleurait dans ses bras:
« De ce grand jour tes yeux verront l'aurore,
« Ils reviendront ! et je n'y serai pas ! »
(But as he was dying, he kept saying
To his child who was crying in his arms:
"Of that great day your eyes will see the dawn
They will come back! but I will not be there!")
The people of Quebec city were delighted to see "La Capricieuse." The French had sent a gift of books for the Institut Canadien, its Montreal branch, I should think. But the French were in Canada to conduct business.
La Patrie Littéraire or The Literary Homeland
Crémazie's poem is an example of literary homeland (patrie littéraire) literature as is Philippe-Joseph Aubert de Gaspé Anciens Canadiens.[iii] (For the Wikipedia, entry click on Philippe-Joseph Aubert de Gaspé.) French-speaking Canadians had lost their Lower Canada and built a "literary homeland." They created the history and literature which, Lord Durham had reported, they did not have. Writing became their salvation.
Sailing Ships in Art
The Fleet off Shore (art.com)
[i] Odette Condemine, "Octave Crémazie." The Canadian Encyclopedia, http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/octave-cremazie
[ii] "Octave Crémazie." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/142505/Octave-Cremazie>.
[iii] Dale Miquelon, "La Capricieuse," The Canadian Encyclopedia, http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/la-capricieuse
The entry "La Capricieuse" reads as follows:
"Commander Paul-Henry de Belvèze proceeded by steamer and train to Montréal, Toronto and Ottawa before leaving Québec for France on August 25. His mission was to report on the prospects of trade with Canada, made possible by Britain's proclamation of free trade and by the Anglo-French alliance of 1854. The result was the opening of a French consulate at Québec in 1859, followed by mutual, short-lived tariff concessions and the development of a modest trade. However, the visit is remembered chiefly as the official endorsement of the Franco-Canadian cultural rapprochement that had been gathering impetus since the 1830s."
Links to related blogs
"The Aftermath (cont'd) Aubert de Gaspé's Anciens Canadiens" https://michelinewalker.com/2012/03/30/the-aftermath-contd-aubert-de-gaspes-anciens-canadiens/
"The Aftermath & Krieghoff's Quintessential Quebec" https://michelinewalker.com/2012/03/29/the-aftermath-krieghoffs-quintessential-quebec/
"The Battle of Fort William-Henry and Cooper's Last of the Mohicans http://michelinewalker.com/2012/03/26/the-battle-of-fort-william-henry-coopers-last-of-the-mohicans/
"Louis-Joseph de Montcalm Gozon, Marquis de Saint-Veran" https://michelinewalker.com/2012/03/25/louis-joseph-de-montcalm-gozon-marquis-de-saint-veran/
"Nouvelle-France's Last and Lost Battle: The Battle of the Plains of Abraham" https://michelinewalker.com/2012/03/24/nouvelle-frances-last-and-lost-battle-the-battle-of-the-plains-of-abraham/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Theo-24 Sr Used in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, pulmonary emphysema, bronchial asthma, pulmonary hypertension.
Theophylline is used in the combined treatment of edema syndrome, sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension.
A specialist should be careful in prescribing the drug for persons with severe cardiovascular insufficiency, lung diseases, porphyria, convulsive syndrome and prostatic hypertrophy.
Children are taken the drug orally, the dose and the multiplicity of reception are selected individually. Patients 3 to 9 years old take 24 mg per kg of body weight per day, 9 to 12 years old – 20 mg per kg of body weight, 12 to 16 years old – 18 mg per kg of body weight, and 16 to 18 years old – 13 mg per kg or 900 mg per day.
Adult patients should take from 100 to 200 mg 2 to 4 times a day.
If, when using the drug, the patient has undescribed adverse reactions, then it is necessary to abandon the drug use.
The main symptoms are anorexia, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, agitation, irritability. Sometimes, the first manifestations may be seizures, ventricular arrhythmia. In severe poisoning, especially in children, epileptic seizures may develop without the occurrence of any precursors.
Treatment: induction of vomiting, laxatives and activated carbon, irrigation of the intestines with a combination of polyethylene glycol and electrolytes in the early stage of poisoning with prolonged forms. If you experience convulsions, maintain an airway and give oxygen. For the relief of seizure – intravenous diazepam, 0.1-0.3 mg/kg (but not more than 10 mg). With severe nausea and vomiting – metoclopramide or ondansetron (IV) are used. If necessary, hemoperfusion, hemodialysis is less effective.
Allergic reactions (skin rash, itching).
Side effects are reduced by decreasing the drug dose.
It is contraindicated to use Theo-24 Sr in combination with other xanthine derivatives. It enhances the effect of sympathomimetics and diuretics (due to an increase in glomerular filtration), reduces the effectiveness of drugs Li + and beta-blockers.
It is prescribed with caution simultaneously with anticoagulants. In combination with phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampicin, isoniazid, carbamazepine, sulfinpyrazone, aminoglutethimide and moricizine, there is a decrease in theophylline effectiveness, which may require an increase in its doses.
With a simultaneous use of antibiotics intensity of action may increase, which may require a decrease in theophylline dose.


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Chef Lidia Bastianich Joins the HITN Family
Home » Chef Lidia Bastianich Joins the HITN Family
HITN-TV is the First US Spanish-Language Network to Broadcast Bastianich's Cooking Shows
Brooklyn, N.Y. – HITN-TV, the network that offers educational and entertaining programming to U.S. Hispanic audiences, is announcing the addition of celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich and her Emmy award-winning cooking shows, "La Italia de Lidia" (Lidia in Italy) and "La Italia de Lidia en América" (Lidia's Italy in America) to its growing line-up of health and lifestyle programming. The episodes will be adapted for Spanish-language viewers and will, for the first time, be broadcasted to the U.S. Hispanic market.
"We are proud to introduce our viewers to Lidia Bastianich," said Eric Turpin, HITN-TV General Manager. "Mrs. Bastianich is one of the most cherished chefs on television, a best-selling cookbook author and a renown restaurateur. Yet despite her very demanding schedule, Mrs. Bastianich still manages to prioritize her Italian family and culture. And we believe these valuable qualities – the love for her children and the pride she has for her heritage – are traits that will resonate with our Hispanic audience."
Keeping to HITN-TV's commitment to providing educational and entertaining programming, viewers who tune in to "La Italia de Lidia en América" will learn interesting facts about the influence of the Italian culture in various facets of American culture, including food, music and art. In "La Italia de Lidia," viewers are introduced to Italy through a series of episodes featuring local specialties from Rome, Naples, Padua, Sicily, Trieste and Istria. Throughout the program, Mrs. Bastianich's friends and family join the food fiesta; Lidia's daughter Tanya shares some of her Italian cooking secrets and her brother Joseph serves as Lidia's very own wine connoisseur.
"La Italia de Lidia" airs on Saturdays, at 4:00 pm ET / 1:00 pm PT Pacific, and "La Italia de Lidia en América" airs on Saturdays at 4:30 pm ET / 1:30 pm PT Pacific. Please visit www.hitn.org/operadores to find out where you can watch HITN-TV.
Open your appetite for watching Lidia's Italy in America with the following video


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This plugin allows the use of Jinja2 directives inside your pelican
articles and pages. This template rendering is done before the final html
is generated, i.e. before your theme's `article.html` is applied. This
means the context and jinja variables usually visible to your article
template **ARE NOT** available at this time.

All code that needs those variables (`article`, `category`, etc) should be
put inside the theme's template logic. As such, the main use of this plugin
is to automatically generate parts of your articles.

## Example

One usage is to embed repetitive html code into Markdown articles. Since
Markdown doesn't care for layout, if anything more sophisticated than just
displaying an image is necessary, one is forced to embed html in Markdown
articles (at the very least, hardcode `<div>` tags and then fix it with the
theme's CSS). However, with `jinja2content`, one can do the following.

File `my-cool-article.md`
```
# My cool title

My cool content.

{% from 'img_desc.html' import img_desc %}
{{ img_desc("/images/my-cool-image.png",
    "This is a cool tooltip",
    "This is a very cool image.") }}
```

Where file `img_desc.html` contains:
```
{% macro img_desc(src, title='', desc='') -%}
<div class="img-desc">
  <p><img src="{{ src }}" title="{{ title }}"></p>
  {% if desc %}
  <p><em>{{ desc }}</em></p>
  {% endif %}
</div>
{%- endmacro %}
```

In this way, Markdown articles have more control over the content that is
passed to the theme's `article.html`, without the need to pollute the
Markdown with html. Another added benefit is that now `img_desc` is
reusable across articles.

Note that templates rendered with `jinja2content` can contain Markdown as
well as html, since they are added before the Markdown content is converted
to html.

## Notes

+ Only Markdown supported at this moment. Adding .rst support shouldn't be
  too hard, and you can ask for it here.
+ All templates `include`d in this way must be placed in your theme's
  `templates` directory.
+ This plugin is intended to replace
  [pelican-jinj2content](https://github.com/joachimneu/pelican-jinja2content/tree/f73ef9b1ef1ee1f56c80757b4190b53f8cd607d1)
  which hasn't been developed in a while and generated empty `<p>` tags in
  the final html output.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Information in electrodeposited dendrites
Michael N. Kozicki
Dendrites are structures that develop with a continuously branching tree-like form. Such patterns are found in many aspects of the natural world, which indicates the universality of their topology. This review presents an examination of dendritic structures, addressing their stochasticity and fractal character, and exploring their information content or more specifically their ability to provide a very large number of unique patterns that may be used as a novel form of item identification. A brief summary of fractals and their dimensionality is presented and applied to the well-known diffusion limited aggregate (DLA) dendritic construct. Dendrites formed by electrochemical 'self-assembly' are explored and examples given of their formation under different conditions. Stochastic variations in the self-similar Y-shaped symbol that underlies these fractals can carry information, leading to significant entropy, even though the structural entropy of the overall pattern is relatively small.
Advances in Physics: X
Dendrites
Dive into the research topics of 'Information in electrodeposited dendrites'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
dendrites Physics & Astronomy 100%
fractals Physics & Astronomy 87%
entropy Physics & Astronomy 46%
self assembly Physics & Astronomy 33%
topology Physics & Astronomy 27%
examination Physics & Astronomy 26%
Kozicki, M. N. (2021). Information in electrodeposited dendrites. Advances in Physics: X, 6(1), [1920846]. https://doi.org/10.1080/23746149.2021.1920846
Information in electrodeposited dendrites. / Kozicki, Michael N.
In: Advances in Physics: X, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1920846, 2021.
Kozicki, MN 2021, 'Information in electrodeposited dendrites', Advances in Physics: X, vol. 6, no. 1, 1920846. https://doi.org/10.1080/23746149.2021.1920846
Kozicki MN. Information in electrodeposited dendrites. Advances in Physics: X. 2021;6(1). 1920846. https://doi.org/10.1080/23746149.2021.1920846
Kozicki, Michael N. / Information in electrodeposited dendrites. In: Advances in Physics: X. 2021 ; Vol. 6, No. 1.
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title = "Information in electrodeposited dendrites",
abstract = "Dendrites are structures that develop with a continuously branching tree-like form. Such patterns are found in many aspects of the natural world, which indicates the universality of their topology. This review presents an examination of dendritic structures, addressing their stochasticity and fractal character, and exploring their information content or more specifically their ability to provide a very large number of unique patterns that may be used as a novel form of item identification. A brief summary of fractals and their dimensionality is presented and applied to the well-known diffusion limited aggregate (DLA) dendritic construct. Dendrites formed by electrochemical {\textquoteleft}self-assembly{\textquoteright} are explored and examples given of their formation under different conditions. Stochastic variations in the self-similar Y-shaped symbol that underlies these fractals can carry information, leading to significant entropy, even though the structural entropy of the overall pattern is relatively small.",
keywords = "Dendrites, entropy, fractal dimension, fractals, information",
author = "Kozicki, {Michael N.}",
note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture [2020-67017-33078]; NSF NNCI [NNCI-ECCS-1542160]. This work is currently supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), under Grant 2020-67017-33078, Secure Traceability in the Food Supply Chain Using Cell Phone Readable Dendritic Identifiers. The use of facilities within the ASU NanoFab supported in part by NSF program ECCS-1542160 is also acknowledged. The author thanks Smitha Swain and Ninad Chamele of Arizona State University for the images presented in Figures 2, 6, 7, and 8. Funding Information: This work is currently supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), under Grant 2020-67017-33078, Secure Traceability in the Food Supply Chain Using Cell Phone Readable Dendritic Identifiers. The use of facilities within the ASU NanoFab supported in part by NSF program ECCS-1542160 is also acknowledged. The author thanks Smitha Swain and Ninad Chamele of Arizona State University for the images presented in . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.",
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AU - Kozicki, Michael N.
N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture [2020-67017-33078]; NSF NNCI [NNCI-ECCS-1542160]. This work is currently supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), under Grant 2020-67017-33078, Secure Traceability in the Food Supply Chain Using Cell Phone Readable Dendritic Identifiers. The use of facilities within the ASU NanoFab supported in part by NSF program ECCS-1542160 is also acknowledged. The author thanks Smitha Swain and Ninad Chamele of Arizona State University for the images presented in Figures 2, 6, 7, and 8. Funding Information: This work is currently supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), under Grant 2020-67017-33078, Secure Traceability in the Food Supply Chain Using Cell Phone Readable Dendritic Identifiers. The use of facilities within the ASU NanoFab supported in part by NSF program ECCS-1542160 is also acknowledged. The author thanks Smitha Swain and Ninad Chamele of Arizona State University for the images presented in . Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
N2 - Dendrites are structures that develop with a continuously branching tree-like form. Such patterns are found in many aspects of the natural world, which indicates the universality of their topology. This review presents an examination of dendritic structures, addressing their stochasticity and fractal character, and exploring their information content or more specifically their ability to provide a very large number of unique patterns that may be used as a novel form of item identification. A brief summary of fractals and their dimensionality is presented and applied to the well-known diffusion limited aggregate (DLA) dendritic construct. Dendrites formed by electrochemical 'self-assembly' are explored and examples given of their formation under different conditions. Stochastic variations in the self-similar Y-shaped symbol that underlies these fractals can carry information, leading to significant entropy, even though the structural entropy of the overall pattern is relatively small.
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JF - Advances in Physics: X


text:
Chief Minister Poultry Scheme 2022, Download Form, Price, List of Successful Applicants
Home » Extra » Chief Minister Poultry Scheme 2022, Download Form, Price, List of Successful Applicants
Posted By admin on Nov 30, 2022 | 0 comments
CM Punjab Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi Hen & Cock Distribution Scheme 2022-Get Birds on Discounted Price, Distribution Schedule & Lucky Draw List
Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and PTI government has decided to distribute birds among masses on discounted price. This scheme has been launched officially in Punjab province. Livestock department Punjab is going to supervise C,M hen farming scheme 2022. This scheme will continue for next four years. You will have to pay only 1180 rupees. Each applicant will be given 2 options. In first option one may get six birds (five hens and one cock) of 80 to 85 days old. Weight of these hens and cock will be from 650 to 700 grams. In second option you can get 12 cocks of 350 grams to 450 grams weight. Age of these cocks will be between 55 to 60 days.
Details About CM Punjab Hen Farming Scheme 2022-23
Schedule for distribution of hens in the province of Punjab for the year 2022-23 has been announced. As per announced schedule about five lakh hens and cooks will be distributed in Punjab during the year 2022-23. Same amount of birds will be distributed annually in next four years. These poultry units will be distributed in 36 districts of Punjab. 600 to 900 units will be distributed in each district as per its population.
Application forms have been provided in the offices of deputy director livestock at Tehsil level. These forms are free and you can get it on showing CNIC. One form will be provided on one CNIC. It means a person can get just one unit of hens and cock. Application forms will be received in the same office from where these will be provided. Application forms will be received 7 days before the distribution of poultry units.
Do not forget to get receipt of your application at the time of its submission for future reference. Comprehensive list of all applicants will be prepared by the concerned department and this list will be displayed in the offices of livestock one week before the distribution of poultry units. In case of any mistake in the list, affected party me contact the deputy director and additional director livestock at the Tehsil and district level respectively.
In case of having more applications then the allocated poultry units for any district, lucky draw will be conducted. Divisional Director livestock will make a committee under him for conducting the lucky draw in presence of general public. Result of draw will be displayed in the offices of livestock and winners will also be informed by call. For more information about Chief Minister Poultry scheme 2022 you may call at 08000-9211.


text:
Don't let fear keep you from vaccines
There are many things to be fearful of in this world. Vaccines should not be one of them.
Don't let fear keep you from vaccines There are many things to be fearful of in this world. Vaccines should not be one of them. Check out this story on thetimesherald.com: http://bwne.ws/1DdpVs2
Times Herald Published 7:38 p.m. ET Feb. 9, 2015 | Updated 7:46 p.m. ET Feb. 9, 2015
A clinical medical assistant injects a young patient with the DTaP vaccine.(Photo: TIMES HERALD)Buy Photo
People tend to be afraid of things for which there are no ready explanations. Imagine if we rejected antibiotics, separated sewer systems or vaccines.
Yet people by the thousands are rejecting vaccines due to beliefs in pseudoscience, hearsay and fear. As a result, we are on the brink of reliving many of the diseases that were the scourge of our forefathers: Measles, mumps, pertussis, polio and more.
Here are a few things to consider before you jump on the "I-don't-vaccinate" bandwagon:
•Vaccines are created, studied and continuously monitored by groups of experts — not just one with an opinion. This is the democratic way, much like we trust a jury system to come up with verdicts and the truth about a crime, except those who advise us about vaccines use proven principles of science to validate their claims. The layers of independent review, surveillance and post-marketing studies that go into vaccines is extraordinary medicine! The expertise and passion that creates the safety net surrounding vaccines is truly humbling. The experts really know more than your neighbor!
•Vaccines aren't just about you and/or your child. They are one of the few advances in medicine that protects other people besides you — those who cannot be immunized; the newborn who hasn't developed immunity yet; the child who has a kidney transplant; a grandma on steroids; or those who can't receive certain vaccines for medical reasons. The majority of people can. How would you feel if your child got the measles because your neighbor wasn't vaccinated? How would you feel if you vaccinate your child and 20 percent to 30 percent of your child's classmates weren't vaccinated? (Such is the case at some schools and congregate settings in our county.) Vaccines are a strength to every community!
•Vaccines are tremendously successful on a recurrent historical basis. They are cost-effective and have relatively few risks compared to the diseases they prevent. They are the privilege of an industrialized country. We have the luxury of preventing disease rather than dying from them. The United States currently has the safest vaccine supply in its history. Vaccines keep children, families and communities protected from serious diseases, yet we allow some to cloud the logic and triumphs of decades of research, study and achievement of many.
•Vaccines do not cause autism. This prevalent myth grew out of a discredited study in the late 1990s and was later retracted. The author lost his medical license. Over the past 20 years, study after study has looked for any link between vaccines and autism, and results have been very clear: Vaccines do not cause autism. The cause of autism is not known.
What shall we do next — cave to our fears of science, government and conspiracy? Or do we do the right thing?
Vaccinate your children, vaccinate yourself. Remember "if not for you — for them!"
For questions or information on vaccines, contact your leading vaccine experts at the St. Clair County Health Department (810) 987-5300.
Annette Mercatante (Photo: Courtesy)
Annette Mercatante, MD, MPH, is medical health officer of the St. Clair County Health Department.
Read or Share this story: http://bwne.ws/1DdpVs2


text:
Blu-ray: Worth a Look
Release Date: April 9th, 2013
Review Date April 5th, 2013 by Aaron Peck
Overview - Planet Ocean captures extraordinary images of our remarkable oceans – the source of all life on our planet. Filmed by directors Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Michael Pitiot, along with an outstanding team of international underwater cinematographers, in partnership with OMEGA, and with the scientific support of Tara Expeditions, the film aims to explain some of the planet's greatest natural mysteries, while reinforcing how essential it is that mankind learns to live in harmony with our oceans. Planet Ocean serves as a reminder of the bond between humans and nature, and the duty that exists to protect and respect our planet.m3
Worth a Look
Length:0
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Russian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Czech: Dobly Digital 5.1
Subtitles/Captions: English SDH, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Portugese, Czech, Dutch, and Russian
Movie Studio: Universal
'Planet Ocean' is 'Planet Earth' with a heavier agenda. It has as much beautiful photography as the famed British nature documentary series, but it also concedes that it's a propaganda film. Now, I don't reference the term "propaganda" in a negative light. I'm purely trying to get across to you that 'Planet Ocean' has a message that, at times, is extremely heavy-handed. I have no problem with a movie espousing beliefs, I detest ones that throw a bunch of problems at us and then provides no real solutions. 'Planet Ocean' has solutions, which is nice for those who want to listen.
The problem is, I fear, that this movie is preaching to the choir. The term "global warming" has become such a heated topic over the last decade that people now swear by it or against it. It seems that there's no middle ground. It's either human caused, or a cyclical cycle of nature that we as humans are doing nothing to exacerbate. While the movie touches on that, and makes no bones that it's firmly in the human-caused camp, it's more about pinpointing exactly what humans are doing to the world's oceans and its inhabitants.
It may still be a battle between factions trying to surmise if humans really are causing global warming, but there's no doubt that we're overfishing and depleting oceanic resources at an alarming rate. 'Planet Ocean' directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand ('Home') and Michael Pitiot shines some specific light on our gluttonous fishing practices, among other things.
The movie starts out simple enough. Josh Duhamel ('Transformers') narrates as the camera flies over scenic views of waves crashing against cliffs. The narration is forcefully poetic and feels, at times, overindulgent. He waxes on about the sea and the way it interacts with us. The way it drives winds and currents. The way it feeds millions of people. He's no Richard Attenborough, but he'll do.
It starts off focusing on the microbial bacteria that calls the ocean home. This bacteria feeds bigger bacteria, which feed small fish, which feed bigger fish, and so on up to humans. At first this is a nature documentary focused on bringing us some stunning underwater cinematography. As the movie moves further up the food chain its message becomes clear. Fish are hauled from the sea by fishermen in endless nets. The nets scoop up anything and everything, it's all sorted out later. The waste is tossed back into the ocean.
The results are staggering, but to the people already concerned with overfishing this is nothing new. Maybe it might convince a few people from the other side that things need to change before we overfish everything in the ocean, but that remains to be seen.
I've seen plenty of eco-friendly docs that shine glaring light on devious human practices, but they never really approach the solution side of things. Instead they leave us with this doom and gloom message, and a simple "Change starts with you," motto and they're done.
'Planet Ocean' does have a certain doom and gloom feel to it, but the entire end is focused on giving ideas on how to solve many of the problems raised in the doc. I'm not an expert, so I don't know if these solutions would really fix everything going on, but it was nice to be faced with something concrete as far as answers were concerned once the end rolled around.
Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats
This is a Universal release. It comes in a standard keepcase. The movie has been pressed onto a 50GB Blu-ray Disc. There is a slipcover provided (which seems wasteful, hopefully it was made of recycled material) that has the same artwork as the case.
English SDH, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Portugese, Czech, Dutch, and Russian
Here's where things get tricky. Universal's 1080p presentation is often demo-quality. Some of the shots here are as magnificent in clarity and scope as any of the shots in 'Planet Earth' or 'Life'. There are some amazing vistas and stunning images of the ocean crashing against cliffs, and surging with tremendous waves. As cameras sweep across coral reefs the colors are astonishingly bright and vivid. The picture is extremely clear. Thousands of fish are distinctly visible, their edges all easily discerned. So why did 'Planet Ocean' get such a low score considering all that? One word: banding.
The banding here is bad, borderline atrocious. Whenever the sun cuts through the water, huge, visible color bands appear where gradients should be. Banding frequently mucks up otherwise beautiful images. The picturesque scenery is hijacked by ugly pulsating bands moving in from the corners and the shadows. I was sad that it was so frequent and so blatant. It's easy to write off minor banding here and there, but when it's this bad and this prevalent it has a tendency to overshadow all the good achieved.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, on the other hand, does an exemplary job conveying the varied sounds that the ocean has to offer. Crashing waves fill the soundfield. Sweeping winds travel from one channel to another smoothly. Directionality is superb. Ambiance adds another dimension to the mix. This is a nice sounding nature documentary.
The narration is clear and always produced through the center channel. There were a few lines spoken by Duhamel that felt as if they might have been added in at a later point because they were mixed slightly louder and lower than the rest of the narration.
Rear channels catch the encompassing nature of the ocean well. Cawing gulls, surging waves, whipping winds, thrashing sharks; the ocean is all around you. Music is a little overbearing at times. Mostly it's due to the fact that the music is as overly dramatic as the poetic narration. Even so, it is clearly presented in the front channels, bleeding into the rear channels when it really wants to make its emotional point.
Making of 'Planet Ocean' (SD, 14 min.) - This is split into three parts: "In the Skies Above Rio," "Underwater," and "Shanghai." The "Rio" section basically features director Yann Arthus-Bertrand flying around the city capturing footage for the movie. "Shanghai" has a few sequences where the director talks to his crew though. Finally, the "Underwater" section is devoted to shots of underwater cameramen filming with their humongous camera rigs. Trying to capture as much underwater beauty as possible.
Many will think that 'Planet Ocean' is far too heavy-handed for their liking. It does have some important messages to get across, though the movie is better when it's focusing more on the vibrancy and beauty of the ocean than when it focuses on the doom and gloom of what we're doing to our planet. Offering up real, specific solutions was a good touch though. Sadly, the often times beautiful video is marred with unsightly banding. The audio mix is nicely done though. It's worth a look if you're interested.


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Chicago's Premier Recovery High School
What is a Recovery High School?
Association of Recovery Schools
Dr. Seth Harkins
Dr. Seth Harkins is former chief executive officer of the Philip J. Rock Center and School in Glen Ellyn, IL. He is a career educational administrator, having served in a variety of leadership roles for over thirty-five years in public and private education and state government. Dr. Harkins received his Ed.D. from National Louis University Chicago, IL, where he has been adjunct professor for thirty-three years. He holds MA degrees in educational administration and special education from Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL and earned his BA degree from Coe College, Cedar Rapids, IA, where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Dr Harkins is principal of Harkins Educational Consulting and Advocacy. He is has been active in group relations conference work since 1985 and is a member of the A.K. Rice Institute for the Study of Social Systems. His community volunteer work includes: statewide leadership teams and task forces, past president of the Chicago Center for the Study of Groups and Organizations; legislative appointee and chair of the board of directors of the Illinois Community and Residential Services Authority; board member of the Chicago Virtual Charter School, board member of Serenity Academy Chicago, and vice president of the Midwest Group Relations Center. Dr. Harkins' research interests include special education, educational leadership and group relations and recovery from addiction.
Tim Devitt, Psy.D, CADC
Board President
Dr. Tim Devitt, Psy.D, LCPC, CADC, is an executive leader, clinician, teacher, consultant, and researcher with 30-year commitment to recovery-oriented systems change and advocacy for people with mental illness and substance use disorders. He is a Vice President of Clinical Operations at Thresholds, one of the largest recovery services organization in Illinois and has a private professional counseling and psychotherapy practice serving adolescents and adults. Dr. Devitt is a lecturer at the University of Chicago, School of Social Services Administration, an adjunct faculty member at Adler University (Online Campus), a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), and Board President of Serenity Academy of Chicago. His research interests include the integration of mental health and tobacco, alcohol and other drug treatment and recovery support, having conducted numerous workshops and co-authored 16 journal publications and a book chapter on the subject, and held an Adjunct Assistant Professor position at the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center from 2007-2015. He has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adler University (formerly the Adler School of Professional Psychology), and a Master of Science in Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Dayton.
Joseph Check, LCSW
I am a licensed clinical social worker, Board Certified Diplomate in clinical social work with an office in the Hyde Park Bank Building offering psychotherapy by appointment. I am a retired school social worker and high school teacher. My dream is Serenity Academy of Chicago. MEd., Northeastern Illinois U. Center for Inner City Studies MSW, U. of Illinois Chicago, Jane Addams College of Social Work
Marcia Nickow, Psy.D, CADC
As a psychologist specializing in addictions, trauma, eating disorders and family dynamics, l work with men and women to confront self-destructive behavioral patterns while healing and deepening relationships. I conduct individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy to help patients overcome struggles with intimacy and develop meaningful attachments. I empower patients to tap into their insight, creativity, intellect and vision to achieve therapeutic breakthroughs and enrich their lives. I am supportive and directive, compassionate and challenging, process-oriented and goal-oriented. I approach therapy with warmth, authenticity, and depth of concern for my patients' well-being. I work intensively with men and women to overcome barriers to recovery from substance abuse, sex addiction, eating disorders, internet addictions and trauma.
Debra Reed, MA
Debra Reed has a Bachelor's Degree in High School English Education and a Master's Degree in Secondary School Guidance and Counseling. She worked for 37 years in Chicago Public Schools as a High School English Teacher and High School Counselor. Her personal recovery from multiple addictions and family dysfunction combined with her clinical work deeply affected and helped teens, teen addicts, and children of addicts affected by the Family Diseases of Alcoholism and Addiction that she worked with at CPS. Her passion and commitment to "keep coming back" in the face of multiple obstacles that would have deterred someone of lesser character, demonstrated to her students that she not only "talked the talk but walked the walk"!
After completing a Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse internship at Lutheran Social Services, she passed the CADC exam in 2014. Currently she is completing the required hours as an Addictions Counselor at the Bobby Buonauro Clinic in Evanston, Illinois. Her growth and transformation have shown up in her personal and professional life. Debra's dedication, commitment to service, spirituality, and education have motivated her to come out of retirement as an educator to work in the area of Addictions Counseling and serve on the board for this Illinois Sober High School - Serenity Academy of Chicago.
Josh Andre
Josh is currently pursuing his bachelor's degree in social work at Northeastern Illinois University. In the past, he has served as an intern at The Abbott House in Highland Park, IL, which provides housing and services to the mentally ill. He has also been a classroom assistant and mentored at-risk youth at North Shore Academy, a therapeutic school for middle and high school students. This past year, he was a tutor at Sister Jean Hughes Adult High School helping individuals recently released from prison. Josh serves a unique role because he has the perspective of a student and has access to University resources. Josh is personally connected to recovery and wants others to know, "Through my own journey, I have learned the importance of giving and receiving help, and it's my mission in life to reach out and help those struggling to get by. I have been fortunate to receive support and help from many people including educators, social workers, friends and family. I know from my own experience the positive impact a therapeutic school setting can have on a person. Serenity Academy represents a critical resource to adolescents and young adults in recovery. I'm honored to be a part of the only sober high school in Chicago."
Mary Egan
Mary Egan, Director of Outreach for Rosecrance, manages the assessment and outreach efforts in the Rosecrance Chicago land offices. Mary joined Rosecrance in 2008 as Community Relations Coordinator responsible for relationship building and business development in the southern Chicago land region and Northwest Indiana. She speaks to professionals and parents on the topics of drug trends, parental influence and adolescent addiction. She previously worked as Student Assistance Program Coordinator at Oak Lawn Community HS for 17 years where she developed the school's Student Assistance Program; counseled students, parents and staff on youth substance issues; conducted support groups for students; and provided training for the school community on substance abuse and related issues. With over 25 years' experience working in the substance abuse field, Mary is committed to helping teens, adults and families access resources for a healthy life. Mary holds a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield, a BS degree in Alcohol Education and a BA degree in Psychology from Quincy University. Mary is also a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. She has received several recognition awards including the Award for Community Excellence from the Oak Lawn Community Partnership, the Partnership Award for Excellence from the Partnership for a Safe and Drug Free Community and the Illinois P.T.A. Distinguished Service Scroll.
Kate Mahoney, LCSW
Kate Mahoney is a licensed clinical social worker with more than 30 years of experience in behavioral health. Kate earned her Bachelor's degree from Northwestern University. She completed her Master's in Social Work at the University of Michigan. Kate is the Executive Director of the Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute for Mental Health Education at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She is active in the community, a frequent presenter at conferences and a strong advocate for reducing the stigma that for too long has prevented many individuals impacted by substance use disorders and other mental health struggles from accessing treatment and being fully integrated into their community. Kate has dedicated much of her career to increasing access to care. She currently serves on the Illinois Opioid Crisis Response Advisory Council. For eight years, Kate served on the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence Board of Directors. She is a past president of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health and is also a past president of the Illinois Association for Medication Assisted Addiction Treatment. Kate's contributions to the field have been acknowledged by colleagues at the state and national level. She has received two awards from the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health. In 2013, Kate was awarded the prestigious national Nyswander/Dole award for her leadership in addressing the opioid epidemic. In 2017 Kate received Mental Health America's George Goodman and Ruth O. Brudney Social Work Award.
Christopher Mayer
Christopher Mayer serves as a Recovery Counselor at Trilogy Behavioral Health, where he works on an Assertive Community Treatment team with people recovering from mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders. Christopher is also a Senior Consultant with Productive Strategies, Inc., where he leads the nonprofit practice area. He has consulted on fundraising strategy and grant proposal development with a wide array of nonprofit organizations.
Carter Kofman
Carter is a management consultant passionate about helping organizations grow and broaden access to a variety of resources. Carter is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he was co-chair of Live Free, UW-Madison's Collegiate Recovery Program. During his time with Live Free, Carter worked with the leadership team to secure funding and grow its connections through partnerships with other student organizations, UW departments and local high schools and recovery programs. Additionally, Carter has worked with legislative bodies regarding several legislative drafts, most relevantly, for the creation of a state-funded recovery high school in Wisconsin. Carter is a person in long-term recovery and grateful to be a part of the only sober high school in Chicago.
Chris Carlton
Experienced business leader with a demonstrated history of working in Media, Advertising and technology industries. Strong entrepreneurial professional skilled in Digital Strategy, Operations, Digital/Traditional ad-stack development, Sales, Organizational Leadership, and Media Relations. Creative Advertising Technologist and Digital Media Specialist - with over 25 years of experience creating highly-successful digital ecosystems and cross-platform digital marketing initiatives, leading groundbreaking iterative digital product development, and consistently pushing boundaries & urging innovation. Lead development, technology, technical strategy, digital marketing strategy, and cross-discipline groups to create, invent, and evolve products, services, categories, and business models to solve consumer and client business problems in new, innovative ways. Research and thought-lead strategic thinking and research & development on the latest ecosystems, platforms, devices, technologies and players that can help evolve and achieve clients' digital and non-digital business goals. Strong technical, engineering, strategy and user experience background with hands on experience from design & development through deployment & scaling.
Proven experience in managing digital & technology teams, through a servant-leadership model within a entrepreneurial business environment while balancing the needs of strategy, creativity and execution to create personalized, consumer-centric experiences across digital properties and mobile apps that help brands surprise and delight consumers through extreme added value and real-world utility.
Samantha Hills
Samantha Hills is a Regional Manager at Salesforce in the Healthcare and Life Sciences Vertical. She oversees a team of 6 account executives who cover the Midwest region and is responsible for managing to key sales metrics as well as coaching and developing her team. Samantha has been with Salesforce for 6 years in various capacities as a leader and individual contributor. She was originally based in Sydney, Australia, where she was the fastest promoted Sales Development Representative in APAC history. She quickly moved up the ranks and was awarded Business Development Representative of the Year and shortly thereafter, Account Executive of the Year. After living in Sydney for 6+ years, Salesforce relocated her back home to Chicago. Sam was quickly promoted to Sales Development Manager leading a team of 12 reps. She has been a Regional Manager for the past 6 months. At Salesforce, she is on the Foundation Committee Board and recently led a Volunteer Day where 408 Chicago employees participated and logged over 700 hours of service. Outside of Salesforce, she is a passionate mentor for a 17-year-old rising Senior at Phoenix Military Academy. She is also a proud member of the Shedd Aquarium's Auxilary Board where she serves on the Executive Committee as the VP of Membership. She has her own fur baby named Jax, an aussie cavapoo who made the long trek back to Chicago from the land down under with her.
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High Quality Bypass Surgery in Germany is available at comparably low prices if compared with what hospitals in other countries charge. Prices include any number of bypasses as opposed to hospitals in some countries who request additional fees for each additional bypass. In many cases the approach can be minimum invasive which minimises risks and mostly avoids cosmetic disfigurement through scars.


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Alumni Feature: Jessica ChenFeng, PhD, LMFT
By School of Behavioral Health - October 4, 2019
Imagine being at a national convention when, all of a sudden, a book publisher approaches you with a request to write a book about the journey of becoming a marriage and family therapist. That's exactly what happened to Jessica ChenFeng, PhD, LMFT, alumna of the Loma Linda University School of Behavioral Health's Counseling and Family Sciences Department.
Jessica was attending a national American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy conference, where she and fellow professor Dana J. Stone, PhD, MA from California State University, Northridge (CSUN) were presenting on the process of becoming a marital and family therapist. An editor from Routledge was impressed and requested that a book be written on this subject. The resulting work, Finding Your Voice as a Beginning Marriage and Family Therapist, was released this summer. Jessica and her co-author worked on the book over the course of almost three years. They would each write chapters for the book and then swap chapters, having enriching dialogue along the way and making any necessary edits. Several universities have now incorporated the book into their curriculum.
Jessica's journey as a therapist began when she received her MFT MS degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2007. Then, while pursuing her doctoral degree at Loma Linda University, she worked at the LLU Behavioral Health Institute, seeing clients and supervising trainees. There, she had the opportunity to be supervised by Assistant Professor of Counseling and Family Sciences Randall Walker, MS, LMFT. She thoroughly enjoyed his mentorship and appreciated the quality of supervision that he provided. She felt that Loma Linda University was a "healing environment" for her, both professionally and personally. With mentorship from Dr. Carmen Knudson-Martin and Dr. Douglas Huenergardt, Jessica focused her doctoral research on issues of race, gender, spirituality and power within relationships. After graduating in 2014, she began teaching at CSUN.
Through her clinical and teaching experiences at both CSUN and LLU, Jessica developed a very personal understanding of the many issues involved in becoming a marital and family therapist, particularly from a cultural perspective. She understood that students at times feel marginalized, depending on their background and work experiences. Jessica felt that it was important to help students feel empowered, and the book, in part, discusses this issue.
Currently, Jessica is working for Loma Linda University Health as Associate Director of Physician Vitality and Associate Professor in the School of Medicine. The Office of Physician Vitality offers support for physicians, ranging from medical students to residents and attendings.
counseling and family sciences


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Final Fantasy VII Remake Development Is Proceeding Smoothly; Cloud Design Has Been Changed
A Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Exhibition is currently being held in Japan, where new concept art for the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake has been shown. Today, Tetsuya Nomura and other members of the development team have taken part in a talk shown during the exhibition, revealing some new details regarding the remake.
According to several reports posted on Twitter by those lucky enough to attend the show, a bunch of new screenshots has also been shown. Sadly, it seems like these screenshots will be released online only at a later time.
Related Final Fantasy Creator Suggested Kingdom Hearts To Have Complicated Story, Tetsuya Nomura Revealed
During the talk show, it's been revealed that development is proceeding smoothly and that Cloud design has been changed. Naoki Hamaguchi, Final Fantasy VII Remake Development Leader, revealed that the design, which has been approved by Tetsuya Nomura, is the design closest to the original among those created so far. According to those who have seen it, Cloud seems younger but still handsome. Not only Cloud has been redesigned, but it seems like everything that's been seen so far has been changed.
Final Fantasy VII Remake launches on a yet to be confirmed release date on PlayStation 4. We will keep you updated on the game as soon as possible, so stay tuned for all the latest news.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Is Being Developed In Parallel To KH3; Out Of "Early Concept" Phase
Francesco De Meo • Jun 15, 2018
Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Quality Needs To Be Higher, Square Enix Comments; Looking For Level Planners
Final Fantasy VII Remake Released As "Multi-Part Series"; Aiming For Seamless Active Battle
Aernout • Dec 7, 2015
Final Fantasy VII Remake Director Shares New Details Including New Events & Dialogue Options; Explains Tifa's Character Design
Aernout • Jun 19
Final Fantasy VII Remake Dev Describes Challenges Caused by the Game's Action Makeover
Nathan Birch • Jan 14, 2019


For centuries, the Shi'i religious establishment has come to represent the most quintessential type of a transnational actor. How is clerical authority established and maintained across borders? This book explores the potential of transnational linkages in shaping leadership patterns in contemporary Shi'ism. Through the lens of two families of religious scholars, it compares the multifaceted roles played by clerics with narratives about the traditional system of religious authority, political organisations, and international charities. The book maps clerical networks and their encounters with communities and states across the Middle East, the Indian sub-continent, South-East Asia, and the West. This multi-sited approach aims to clarify the local and transnational dynamics that underpin clerical authority.
Elvire Corboz earned a DPhil from Wadham College, University of Oxford and has held positions at Princeton University and Rutgers University. She is Assistant Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies in the Department of the Study of Religion, Aarhus University.


Black Developments is a house construction company that approaches each project without compromise. We are at the forefront of the industry, working closely with leading architects and designers to deliver a finished product that pushes the envelope of design and form.
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With a shared love of design and lifestyle, the future is bright for Black Developments as we continue to push the boundaries and deliver award-winning builds in Queensland. As company director, Tim Black brings an unparalleled wealth of experience, knowledge and drive to Black Developments. He is an aspirational leader and business owner who takes a hands-on approach to every aspect of a project. Tim's drive to create and contribute ensures all clients can trust him and his team to deliver the best possible outcome.
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Notes on John Fante's "Ask the Dust"
John Fante's "Ask the Dust" is a conservative and cynical, short poetic novel. It's poetic because its episodic movement is tense and packed, its diction deliberate, satisfying Ezra Pound's definition of poetry. It's cynical because of its unrelenting brutality posing as reality. Must one always suppose that to live in seediness and squalor means to live unhappily? The antonym climb from the seedy leads too often to the high-class, which breeds its own pot of seed. And it's cynical because it views unrequited love a mean and debasing disease; it's cynical as Nietzsche is cynical – it's nihilistic. It's conservative because the characters are portrayed as hypocrites who get what they deserve, base characters whose tasteless origins explain their bad decisions. It's conservative because its hopes are grounded in middle class values, where shame is used as a tool to control, even to control oneself. It's conservative for its traditional views locating alcohol and drug abuse at the heart of human decline and misery, where lust is confused for love, and abuse for affection, and greed for dreams. At the same time, it's possible to read the novel as an American proletariat satire, a tragicomedy, but first you have to allow tragedy off its pedestal. Then again, maybe it's just farce, the difference between satire and farce being that satire has a point.
The action takes place during the Great Depression. The year is 1933. The young, first person narrator and main character, the hyperbolic, capricious, and vindictive Arturo Bandini, has relocated from Colorado to Los Angeles to win fame and money as a writer. The character would today remind us of the 1968 Hal David lyric, "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," which references wannabe actors who are employed at the bottom of the Hollywood food chain, literally. The prototype gets off the bus at Hollywood and Vine, cardboard suitcase in hand, expecting to walk onto a movie set, but soon finds himself running hotel shuttles to the airport with aspirations to work his way up to a bellhop job. Except in the great Bandini's case the stereotype is true. He sells a couple of magazine stories and then a novel. But he knows not frugality, the temperamental Bandini. He spends lavishly, wastefully, funnily – buying, for example, two new suits, only to yank the clothes off in frustration for their ill fit and general unsuitability, as he digs his old but comfortable duds out of his trash.
Bandini's (if you can take his word for it) extensive reading has done nothing to soothe his scorched brow as he types feverishly away at his torched stories. He claims familiarity with Joyce, whom he's going to give a run for his money, and while he hasn't read Lenin, he's heard him quoted, and claims allegiance to Lenin's idea that religion is opium for the people (22). He apparently hasn't read Marx either. He's read Emerson and Whitman, though, but no help there either for our lovelorn antihero. And Bandini has read Mencken, which is where he might have acquired his idea of a sense of superiority. Mencken plus Nietzsche plus greed – now there is a formula for the will to power. But: "You have read Nietzsche, you have read Voltaire, you should know better. But reasoning wouldn't help" (96). Bandini is a hypersensitive, mood swinging, hypercritical victim of unrequited love, determined to get revenge by writing his way out of the storm and win his love by twisting her arm and knocking out her humiliating boyfriend.
In the middle of the book, Bandini follows the mysterious Vera Rivken down to Long Beach. So far, he's not capitalized on his chances with women. Something always goes wrong, usually with his mood. He's easily insulted, and his own tongue is so brazen and quick and uncontrollable that what offends his ear causes a whiplash to fly out of his mouth. He's a braggart, but his wit and aim usually hit the target, yet he's prone to even the score immediately through his self-loathing. His every resolution is betrayed in his next breath. In Long Beach, he's caught in the earthquake, which scares him back to church, and he even "gave up cigarets [sic] for a few days" (104). He's a human yo-yo: "This interested me. A new side to my character, the bestial, the darkness, the unplumbed depth of a new Bandini. But after a few blocks the mood evaporated" (108).
"Nothing like it since Joyce" (113), Bandini says. Nothing like it before, either. Consider the trip into the Valley with Hellfrick, who bludgeons a calf and drives it back to their hotel in LA where he promises Bandini "a lesson in butchering" (111). It's scenes like that one that give the short novel its episodic and spasmodic structure. Time dances. In places, the writing is like something out of a comic book. This idea is even made explicit: "take that, Sammy boy, and that, and how do you like this left hook, and how do you like this right cross, zingo, bingo, bang, biff, blooey!" (118). And then comes the set piece, the letter criticizing Sammy's efforts to write, which indeed is "devastating" (119). But that's ok, because before dropping it in the mailbox, Bandini changes his mind yet again and rewrites it to give Sammy some legitimate help. Besides, Bandini's in love, and "Who cares about a novel, another goddamn novel?" (146), this one included, the one we're reading.
In the end, "Something was wrong, everything was wrong" (160), and we wonder why bother with any of it, the flip flopping, the depression, the indecisiveness and lack of commitment, the vengeful, childish fantasies. Well, because that's just where things begin to ring true, and you can hear the noon Angelus bells ringing throughout the Basin. This acceptance that this is really how people behave, including, perhaps particularly, people in love, is apparently what attracted Charles Bukowski to the book. In his short introduction to the 1980 reissue of the book (originally published in 1939, then out of print), Bukowski suggests he liked "Ask the Dust" because it seemed to be about the street from the street. He says Fante was an influential writer for him.
And who was John Fante, and what did he do after "Ask the Dust"? As it turns out, Fante may not have been as interested in the street as in getting off the street. This is what Bandini wants. Interested readers will benefit from a series of interviews (about four hours worth) conducted by Ben Pleasants at Fante's place in Malibu in the late 70's. The link is to 3:AM Magazine. The first interview mentions Edmund Wilson, and Pleasants and Fante wonder why Wilson didn't review "Ask the Dust," particularly since Wilson had shown the special interest in California writers. Pleasants suggests Wilson's "The Boys in the Back Room" (about California writers James M. Cain, Horace McCoy, Richard Hallas, John O'Hara, William Saroyan, John Steinbeck, and Hans Otto Storm) came out before "Ask the Dust." But my copy of Wilson's "A Literary Chronicle: 1920-1950" indicates, at the end of the chapter on California writers, "These notes were first written during the autumn and early winter of 1940" (245), so after "Ask the Dust" was published and out. Wilson then adds a postscript after F. Scott Fitzgerald and Nathanael West die within a day of one another in late December, 1940, where he seeks to "make the California story complete" (246), and the end date for the whole chapter is then given as 1940-1941. Maybe Wilson excluded Fante deliberately, or maybe he simply had never read him. Wilson's opinion about Hollywood was clear, "…its already appalling record of talent depraved and wasted" (249), but for the Fante of "Ask the Dust," that apparently was still ahead.
John Fante, "Ask the Dust," 1939. With an Introduction by Charles Bukowski, 1980 (Black Sparrow). First Ecco edition, 2002, and with Archival Material (24 pages) in First Harper Perennial Modern Classics edition, 2006. The text of the novel is 154 pages in the Harper edition.
Posted byJoe Linker January 9, 2014 January 11, 2014 Posted inReading, WritingTags:Ask the Dust, California, Charles Bukowski, Edmund Wilson, John Fante, Los Angeles
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The Feng Shui of Car Chit Chat
Good analysis . The interview link is interesting . Thanks .
Bandini possesses a caustic sarcastic bombastic wit that's an out of control fastball because he's a great chip on his shoulder, his fatal flaw, but without which the novel would be some other novel, and maybe not as interesting. The style is exaggerated to such a degree. Fante was not a naturalist in this book. He's not Theodore Dreiser ("An American Tragedy"). Still, I suppose Fante's characters matter exactly because they do not matter. You can imagine Bukowski's epiphany upon reading Bandini, which might have gone something like this: "You mean I can write about my own pathetic abused abusing insignificant life? I don't have to make something up? I don't have to buy into the labels someone else tapes to my back? Just disguise a bit here and there, change a few names around to protect the innocent, add some hyperbole for spice?" A liberating moment. Thanks for sending the book up! It's about time I read it. How long have you been telling me to read Fante? Years, anyway.
But I want to add that I was a bit disappointed in the idea that this is a Los Angeles novel. I think a writer needs to do something more than mention a few streets and bars and places to make a city a character in the book. But I did like the trip they take in the open Ford down to the water for the swim in the "breakers." Also the trip to the Pike in Long Beach, classic. And the trip over the Hollywood Hills into the Valley. But his style is so compact and condensed, not very expansive, not all that descriptive, that we don't really get a sense of being in Los Angeles. A few palm trees, some foggy days. Maybe I'm wrong about all this, and was just expecting too much. And he was writing for a contemporary audience. I don't think he realized later readers might want a clearer and more detailed, three dimensional view of the city, that they would appreciate the city as a character. Bandini has it all; in a film, he'd be on every frame. I guess there are a couple of film versions. Don't know if you've seen those. I've not. Might check them out.
Yeah , I had the same feeling about the L.A. thing . He doesn't make the city come alive , just mentions a few bars , etc. , as you say . I agree with your supposition about Bukowski's interest in the novel , too .


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190606-F-EI321-0022
Aerospace Sustainment Directorate team members (left to right) Rich Kuykendall, Cathy Barker, Adam Payne, Braeden Stander, Jeni Owen and Lance Haycock receive the Logistics Airmen Mastering Possibilities, or L-A-M-P, Award trophy June 6, 2019, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The award established in January includes a traveling trophy and is presented monthly to the Ogden Air Logistic Complex's most deserving team or unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Alex R. Lloyd)
Aerospace Sustainment Directorate receives the L-A-M-P trophy
By Alex R. Lloyd
Ogden Air Logistics Complex
The Logistics Airmen Mastering Possibilities, or L-A-M-P, Award is on the move this month. The most recent recipient is the Ogden Air Logistics Complex's Aerospace Sustainment Directorate.
The award was established in January and includes an accompanying trophy to recognize the Ogden ALC's most deserving unit and is presented each month by the complex's commander or vice director.
With the support and vision of Maj. Gen. Stacey Hawkins, Ogden ALC commander, the ASD revitalized its office in June 2018 under the leadership of Catherine L. Barker.
The small cadre of six team members are leading the way on several strategic initiatives to include drafting long-range planning guidance for exchangeables and public private partnerships along with modification-based depot workloads, establishing enterprise crosstalks, tackling process gaps with support equipment management and aligning the enterprise to achieve Department of Defense and Air Force objectives.
The directorate also spearheaded a Joint Requirements Working Group for F-35 commodities in collaboration with the Air Force Sustainment Center, Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office to develop a deliberate, standard, and repeatable forecasting collaboration process to ensure supportable, and executable workload.
In order to address planning gaps, the directorate stood up weapon-system specific enterprise crosstalks for A-10, C-130, F-16, F-22, F-35 and T-38 weapon systems to discuss short-term production constraints, workarounds, and long-term get-well plans.
In September 2018, the Secretary of Defense published a memorandum establishing a goal to reach mission capability rates of 80 percent on specific Air Force aircraft to include the F-16, which the Ogden ALC performs depot-level maintenance on.
As a result, the directorate integrated F-16 surge initiatives among different organizations under one enterprise forum to align activities in a synchronized fashion that within six months beat Pentagon expectations with a 30,000-40,000 hour reduction in mission incomplete, awaiting parts, or MICAP, time and a 10.6 percent non-mission capable supply rate.
The Aerospace Sustainment Directorate serves the enterprise by identifying systemic supportability challenges, evaluating policy and process gaps, and horizontally integrating stakeholders.
Through horizontal integration, standardization, optimization and problem resolution across program management and product support, public private partnerships, depot operations and supply chain the directorate is the bridge that links the enterprise together to achieve Air Force readiness.
award trophy Art of the Possible OO-ALC L-A-M-P Aerospace Sustainment Directorate


Chief editor of Side-Line - I take care of the avalanche of news and press releases that reaches us each day via labels, artists, DJs, correspondents, etc. I also make sure that it gets 'filtered' which means: removing promo blabla, double checking facts, deciding which news gets published and which news not.
Los Angeles duo Entrzelle (David Chamberlin and his partner in crime Malice Vext) recently signed with the Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix. While the label.
Out in early June is the 2nd album of Automat, "Plusminus". Automat is a project uniting Jochen Arbeit (Einstürzende Neubauten, Die Haut), Achim Färber (Project.
While some artists kept on saying up until yesterday that Apple would never go streaming (hey guys, where have you been the last few years?),.
The Subscription-based label Cut Records has decided to donate 50% of their subscription fees to Stonewall, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights charity.
If you have already downloaded the free "Face The Beat: Session 2" compilation, you will have noticed that track 17 called "Etika" by the Serbian.
UK based industrial act Massive Ego have just signed to OutOf Line records. With a new line-up, sound and label the band launch their debut.
The Slovenian electro-metal band Neurotech returns with the follow-up to the 2014 release "Infra versus Ultra". The 8-track release "Stigma" is available as a free.
Turkey is too often considered as being a country without a new wave community. Weird, because it has for instance one of the biggest Depeche.
Out in a few days, and available for ordering right now, is the brand new NZ EP "Against You". "Against You!" is the third and.
Side-Line has announced this already, but now there is also some extra info on the soon to be launched streaming service by Apple. The streaming.
SoundCloud to become a Spotify with user generated music content?
SoundCloud has plans to go completely legal and pay royalties to labels. That is good news because lots of labels have already pulled or blocked.
Out by the end of July (more than 16 years after its first pressing) is the reissue of the Ataraxia album "Historiae". "Historiae" comes in.
Daybehavior have prepped a brand new song to be released: "Change" (and the Italian version "Cambiare"). "Change" is the first track taken from the upcoming.


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Vibram Considering a Return to Disc Manufacturing
Vibram left the sport right before it exploded.
July 26, 2021 by Charlie Eisenhood in News with 0 comments
Rubber discs could be making a comeback.
The footwear company Vibram is considering the possibility of returning to disc production three and a half years after exiting the sport.
On a Facebook group dedicated to Vibram collectors, Tyler Allan, who was recently promoted to become Vibram's New England Brand Territory Representative, posted a survey last month looking for feedback from disc golfers.
"Hi everyone, my name is Tyler Allan and I've been working for Vibram since 2011," he wrote. "I spent some time selling disc golf in New England, attending tournaments and possibly met some of you out on the course. Currently I'm focusing on consumer insights out of our Boston location. I'm reaching out on behalf of Vibram to collect feedback on the disc golf scene. Vibram is considering launching back into the disc golf market; we would love to get your feedback to help us catch up for lost time."
Vibram produced discs from 2008 to 2018 with guidance from Steve Dodge, who worked at the company for seven years as the Business Unit Manager for their disc golf operation. Vibram was the long time sponsor of the professional tournament at Maple Hill, now known as the MVP Open.
A spokesperson for Vibram confirmed that they are considering resuming disc manufacturing. "We are conducting some early-stage consumer research," said Rekha Purwaha. "However, a decision has not yet been made as to whether Vibram will reenter the disc golf market."
"I'm very excited," said Dodge of the potential of Vibram returning to the sport. "I think they've got a great product and a great company. And if they put the resources behind it, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the world of disc golf."
Vibram had a small but passionate following amongst disc golfers. An Infinite Discs survey in 2018 showed that only 10.6% of survey respondents carried Vibram discs in their bag. Their discs are known for durability and reliability thanks to their rubber construction.
TAGGED: Business, Steve Dodge, Tyler Allan, Vibram
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Comments on "Vibram Considering a Return to Disc Manufacturing"


The Honda CRF450L is brand-new for 2019, based closely on the full-race Honda CRF450R, and joins the well-established CRF250L in the dual-sport market. It is a street legal machine that is happy to sit on the road at the legal limit but is equally at home on the trail or in a club enduro.
But as close as the 450L is to the awesome 450R, the motor is completely revamped with wider crankcases to accommodate the six-speed gearbox. It sports electric start, and the electronics are totally different to comply with all road-legal considerations, particularly for the American market.
This modern dual-sport should have been built years ago by Honda, but now that they have finally got round to producing it, it doesn't disappoint. This is a bike that will comfortably reach 75mph on the road, leading you to your favourite off-road playground so you can play in the woods and mud all day. Honda has finally given the people what they say they want.
For a beefy 450, the CRF450L is nimble handling and sports good power delivery,with a modern MX-inspired look and, of course, the excellent build quality you would expect from Honda. This is a very attractively-styled dual-sport bike with ample ground clearance, high mudgards and super plush suspension, which just cries-out to be taken into the woods and on the trails.
Honda have pitched this bike somewhere between its well-established trail bike sibling, the CRF250L, and the big-hitting Africa-twin Adventure bike. This isn't a fully-fledged enduro bike, it's a trail-friendly dual-purpose bike ready for dirt and even the city.
I think Honda have done a great job in producing a bike which looks like a full racing off-roader but with a quiet, softly-spoken side to it. The balance in chassis and power delivery for each discipline is superb in bringing the novice dirt guy and the tarmac guy together nicely.
After a short trip on the road to get to our first set of woods its hard to imagine that this Honda CRF450L produces a mere 25bhp, it really doesn't feel like half the power of 450R or 450X for that matter.
Once on the dirt it was straight into a fast flowing but very greasy trial and my first initial thoughts were that the dual IRC tyres are a bit slick as I two-wheel drifted into the hedgerow! To be honest though, the hardpack Devon clay would have tested most tyres out there but the further we delved into the woods the more conditions improved and suddenly the tyres were spot on and I couldn't fault them at all on the loamy soil.
First thoughts on riding the 450L were how agile the chassis is – it's not too tall or rigid but super rider-friendly and familiar. It obviously isn't as sharp or aggressive as a CRF450R, which in my eyes is a good thing, because this bike is aimed at an entirely different market.
In fact there isn't a big hit off the bottom or aggressive wheel spin, and there's no major stalling issues to catch the novice rider out, just a really smooth power delivery off the throttle which transends over the tree roots and rocks.
If I was to be super fussy, I would probably change the tyres – depending on the terrain to be ridden – and chuck a set of hand guards on and then she's ready to go. And just because its a dual-sport bike don't think we just went on a little green lane ride. Oh no! we there to push the boundaries and went for some really gnarly sections to explore the limits.
After all, our tour guide for the day was none other than three-times World MX Champion Dave (the Berkshire Bomber) Thorpe, who still flies by the way. As you would expect, the brakes and clutch components on the Honda were second to none as were the cockpit accessories that you don't get on an MXer.
With only having 25bhp and a great big silencer on the back, you would think the bike might be somewhat soulless. In fact it is quite the opposite, there's so much torque in the engine that it climbed through the Devon countryside like a buzz saw.
One thing to mention is how quiet the 450L is. It was a really pleasant experience to ride from tarmac to dirt and enjoy the ride without it blowing your eardrums out. As you can imagine the 450L is somewhat heavier than the R and RX models, but don't let that put you off, it isn't something you really notice when riding, especially with the new generation which feels super light and nimble between your legs for a dual-sport bike.
Ordinarily, this type of bike comes fitted with pretty basic suspension which is set for going up and down a low curb in town. But here is where Honda have played their trump card. They have fitted Showa suspension front and back, which is based on that fitted to the CRF450R only valved slightly differently.
And what a great ride it is, nice and soft on the initial stroke then good bottoming resistance, while never going through the stroke on big hits. Honda have really played a blinder on this one. In my opinion the CRF450L is a bike for all parties, going to the shops, delivering parcels around the city, and of course racing your local enduro at the weekend.


Today the Partnership for Public Service's ranked VA 6th among the 17 largest federal government organizations in 2018 in the organization's annual 'Best Places to Work' tabulation.
In 2017, VA was ranked 17 out of the 18 organizations listed that year.
VA did not participate in the 2018 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey and instead administered its own internal survey. Since the VA's survey included the three questions needed to calculate an agency's Best Places to Work employee engagement score, the department was included in the Best Places rankings.
However, because the surveys the VA administered in 2017 and 2018 are different, the organization did not report a point change for the department from the previous year. This will change next year, when VA's data from this year's survey will be comparable to the 2019 information VA will submit.
The Best Places to Work rankings are presented annually by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service.


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Home/NBA/4 Teams Calling Blazers For Damian Lillard Trade
4 Teams Calling Blazers For Damian Lillard Trade
Anthony AmadorJune 4, 2021
The Denver Nuggets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 126-115 on Thursday night.
Following his team getting eliminated from the playoffs, Blazers star Damian Lillard posted a somewhat cryptic message:
A post shared by Damian Lillard (@damianlillard)
One day later, on Friday, speculation regarding Lillard's future with the Blazers kicked into overdrive.
Namely – whether the front office would ever consider trading him.
During an episode of ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith revealed that as many as six or seven teams had reached out to Portland regarding Lillard – and that four in particular are worth keeping an eye on.
.@stephenasmith just dropped a major scoop about Damian Lillard live on First Take: pic.twitter.com/MxPmJW5pQr
— Mike Goldfarb (@MikeGoldFool) June 4, 2021
"Several calls have come [the Blazers'] way. You got a lot of teams — about six or seven different teams — who believe they can get their hands on him, they think they've got a shot," Smith said.
"One of them includes the Knicks, who are scheduled to have about $75 million in cap space along with some picks. But also, the Clippers, the Miami Heat. And who knows what the Lakers may try to do. Stay tuned."
That's one way to watch a game. https://t.co/rlfZSR4DDe
— Game 7 (@game7__) May 13, 2021
To date, Lillard has remained pretty steadfast in his desire to stay a Blazer. And as he showed when he revealed his biggest flaw, hinted at changes towards the roster, and spoke of his team's title chances, the 30-year-old generally keeps it pretty real. If he wanted out, he'd say so.
That said, if the Blazers keep underwhelming in this fashion, even someone with Lillard's trademark patience may end up snapping. And if he does, there is a huge list of teams that'd love to make a move for him.
Related: Brutal Exchange Between LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma Goes Viral (Video)
Blazers Damian Lillard NBA Portland Trail Blazers