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You are here: Home / Connectivity and Entertainment / AvioIP by Satcom1 Ready for VIP Aircraft with Speeds Up to 1.3 Mbps
AvioIP by Satcom1 Ready for VIP Aircraft with Speeds Up to 1.3 Mbps
November 28, 2015 By Aircraft-Completion.com
A router software suite called AvioIP by Satcom1 has specialized in satellite communications for VVIP clients such as head-of-state, VIP, business and military aircraft as well as helicopters since 2005.
It is the critical link between aeronautical satcom networks providing stability, reliability, and a host of new features. AvioIP includes essential features for VIP business aircraft, such as; enhanced internet access, bandwidth control and user group management functions, videoconferencing, Voice over IP (IP), built-in printer, scanner servers and much more.
Although, high-speed data solutions have been always the most demanded and successful features of AvioIP development. Satcom1 AvioIP software version 2.6 has already included support of Inmarsat High-Data-Rate (HDR) service.
This particular technology enables the user to enjoy the data-speed of 650 kbps per channel onboard, which is significantly higher than the fastest SwiftBroadband X-stream channel which provides speed of 432 kbps per channel.
Satcom1 has taken the HDR technology a step further and combined two channels of HDR, ultimately reaching speeds from 1.1 Mbps to 1.3 Mbps. The solution has been tested in Satcom1 R&D lab located at Le Bourget Business Airport in Paris. Team of Satcom1 engineers have been testing it on the Honeywell HSD-400 platform for several weeks, until the final Satcom1 software technology has been defined.
"When we talk about satellite communications and Inmarsat services, we have to keep in mind that the speed we receive is always affected by the congestion of the spot beam in the region. The spot beam covering Paris is one of the most saturated spot beams in the world. We have been testing the channel bonding in very tough conditions. However, we are proud to say that with our software we are able to reach speeds varying from 1.1 Mbps to 1.3 Mbps, which optimizes the HDR service perfectly." – comments Francois Goudal, Head of R&D at Satcom1.
The Inmarsat HDR combined with Satcom1 AvioIP software suite makes an ideal solution for the rotary-winged aircraft market. In HDR, SwiftBroadband's original short-burst waveform has been extended to include longer bursts of data. The original short burst waveform was not well suited for use on rotary-winged aircraft as the rotor can easily break up the signal. On top of that, HDR doesn't require heavy hardware installation, which makes it really a perfect match for helicopter market.
Today, Satcom1 services all connectivity solutions within the satellites; Inmarsat, ViaSat and Iridium solutions for airtime and services. Satcom1 has also been appointed reseller of JX hardware – JetWave, by Honeywell.
Filed Under: Connectivity and Entertainment Tagged With: avioip, in-flight entertainment, inmarsat hdr, satcom1


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Telenet Shooting Collection is an upcoming compilation of shoot 'em up games by the now-defunct studio Telenet Japan and published by Edia for the Nintendo Switch. It is scheduled to be released on June 8, 2023, in Japan.

Content
Telenet Shooting Collection compiles four high-definition ports of shoot 'em up games developed by Telenet Japan: Granada (video game) (1990), Gaiares (1990), Avenger (1990), and Psychic Storm (1992). The ports of Granada and Gaiares are based on the Sega Genesis versions of the games while the ports of Avenger and Psychic Storm use the PC Engine versions of the games. Each game will have additional features such as new "Sound Modes", a new "Visual Mode", a rewind feature, and other added features and updates.

Development and Release
In 2020, Edia bought the rights to Telenet Japan's intellectual properties from City Connection. They then proceeded two release two collections of games from the Valis series on Nintendo Switch. On November 17, 2022, Edia launched a website featuring characters and the ship from Gaiares with a tagline of "New Project begins" on November 22, 2022. On November 22, 2022, the game was officially announced with the motto of "Welcome to Shooters Heaven!" as the first game in Edia's "Telenet Revival Project" to support the "Re;Birth of Beautiful Retro Games". A crowdfunding campaign was announced the same day on Makuake seeking to raise three million yen (roughly $21,160) to cover the game's development and marketing. On January 22, 2023, the game was officially slated for a release on June 8, 2023, in Japan. A special edition was also revealed which would include an original figure of the "Storm Bringer" ship from Psychic Storm.

References

Upcoming video games scheduled for 2023
Shoot 'em ups
Nintendo Switch games
Nintendo Switch-only games
Video game compilations
Video games developed in Japan
Single-player video games

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The very European Grand River invites us into her world of subtly edgy, occasionally dramatic, often cinematic, inventively sculpted, creatively sound sourced, soul stirring, ambient electronica on Spazio Disponibile.
Despite revealing one of my DJ secret weapons, Esa's "A Muto" I suggest you funk up your Friday with the Rumba, Bikutsi & Soukous sounds of 80's Paris. Pan African dancefloor delights start to finish. Big up Nouvelle Ambiance for digging deep & sharing.
Great ambient adventures, dreamy textures & nice vibes over a range of beat excursions ranging from the catatonic to frenetic IDM courtesy of Noriaki Okamoto for Japan's White Paddy Mountain.
Another welcome addition to the new wave of global musicians making jazz interesting again is South Africa's (Shane Cooper driven) Mabuta and their excellent, astrally inclined, stylistically meandering new LP.
Currently digging into the Mårble back catalogue & having my mind blown by his last LP for Not Not Fun Records. Field recordings, ambient, spiritual jazz, ethno explorations, electronic experimentalism & more in one big old beguiling fusion. Just check it.
Ease your way into the week with the day dream inducing ambient soundscapery and reality suspending ethereal beats of Knivtid on Purlieu Recordings. Monday can be your friend.
Strength in numbers & through co-operation, not to mention perfect Sunday listening, as two of my favourite labels Eilean Rec. & Dauw pool resources & bring their artists together to produce 2 great albums of contemplative electro-acoustic ambient assistance.


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Wholesome Books Matter
Posted by Sara Masarik on February 16, 2016 October 24, 2022
Recently I read The Hidden Life, which is a collection of essays written by Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross). Edith was born a Jew into a wealthy family. Through her doctoral work at German universities in psychology and philosophy, she was intellectually converted to the Cross, and then through her own personal "holocaust" she was converted to Christianity in 1921. She would go on to become a well published author on Women's Studies and Psychology, and ultimately she and one of her sisters would become contemplative Carmelite nuns through her reading of the New Testament, Kierkegaard, and St. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises.
While in a Carmelite monastery in Cologne the Gestapo tried to arrest Edith and her sister because of their Jewish ancestry. They escaped to Holland, but were ultimately arrested when the Nazis demanded the religious Jews (Jews who had converted to Catholicism and were now priests and nuns in hiding). She died in Auschwitz. Many said that she served the condemned of Auschwitz liked a mother tending to her children.
While in a Carmelite monastery she wrote many essays that have shaped modern theology. Additionally, she also wrote a number of biographical essays on St. Teresa of Avila – the foundress of the Discalced Carmelites (Edith's order). St. Teresa of Avila is one of the most revered Catholic saints. Her profoundly astute mind and total surrender to contemplative life gifted Christianity some of the most beautiful teachings on prayer that we have. She is a "Doctor of the Church," which means that her writings have deeply informed our theological understanding of prayer and philosophical understandings of what it means to surrender completely to Christ.
St. Teresa's parents were deeply religious and had a very personal relationship with our Lord. Like any of us, however, Teresa's mother had some small weaknesses. She was very ill and had nine children. Edith describes Teresa's mother this way:
"Dona Beatriz, who was constantly housebound by her suffering, liked to find a little distraction in romances of chivalry and was weak enough to allow her children to read them, too, even though this was not the father's intent. After her death, Teresa gave in to her passion without restraint and devoured one book after the other, busying herself with them day and night…the gentle attraction of the pious legends of her childhood paled against these colorful exploits."
Interestingly, Louisa May Alcott confronts the very same thing in Eight Cousins.
"It gives boys such wrong ideas of life and business; shows them so much evil and vulgarity that they need not know about, and makes the one success worth having a fortune, a lord's daughter, or some worldly honor, often not worth the time it takes to win. It does seem to me that someone might write stories that should be lively, natural, and helpful – tales in which the English should be good, the morals pure, and the characters such that we can love in spite of all the faults that all may have. I can't bear to see such crowds of eager little fellows at the libraries reading such trash; weak, when it is not wicked, and totally unfit to feed the hungry minds that feast on it for want of something better."
Oh how much I love these two passages. These three heroes of mine (Edith, Teresa, and Louisa) have put their finger on one of the most important tasks we have as parents and teachers: the selection of wholesome, holy and helpful literature for our children.
Next Post Radical Hospitality

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Wanna know what your Director of Studies really means when he talks?
You're teaching English in Spain – or somewhere else. What do I know?
Either way, you must have a sense of humor, or else you'd be dead by now. Not not to mention few material aspirations and a high tolerance for long hot summers with little or no cash flow.
Today, it's another assault on your dignity from the grim reality of the EFL industry.
Sometimes, as you probably know, your basic survival needs get the best of you and you find yourself agreeing to give company classes.
Soon after starting, it's a good bet that you'll receive a phone call from your Director of Studies.
As the guy who's been there and done that way too many times, I'm creating this sort of glossary to help you read between the lines and interpret what your DOS is really saying on this sort of call.
So, here you go: translating DOS-speak. Don't even try to put this stuff through Google translator – you might crash the whole cloud.
DOS: I've just spoken with the students to see if everything is going okay.
Translation: You are being watched. Your every move is suspect.
DOS: They said you've been giving them sort of dry grammar lectures.
Translation: I'm under the impression that you've actually been teaching English.
DOS: I was a bit concerned.
Translation: I'll never admit this, but your job is not to teach English, your job is to keep Paula in HR happy.
DOS: You see, at this academy we use a communicative approach.
Translation: You are not an educator. You're a dancing monkey. Your job is to entertain them.
If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. DOS pro tip: sheep will work for even less than peanuts.
DOS: Here's what I would do if it were my class.
Translation: Here's what I would do if I were earning my current salary and only teaching 4 hours a week.
DOS: First, I'd show them this youtube video about Buy Nothing Day, and then I'd hand out this specially-made vocabulary worksheet, which would contain a gap-fill exercise and a text about people using cellphones in remote African villages. You should be able to whip up something similar in an hour or so.
Translation: You obviously have nothing better to do than to plan elaborate 7 part lessons which contain no actual grammar.
DOS: And then I'd use that to segueway into a conversation about the implications of consumer society on the ecosystem and global culture.
Translation: Get them talking and then just STFU – don't even think about suggesting that they learn some verb tenses and stop speaking entirely in the present.
DOS: In any case, if you need any help with lesson planning don't hesitate to ask.
Translation: I have a whole treasure trove of youtube videos and conversational segueways here that don't have anything to do with your teaching style or the personality of the group. And yes, I'm going to keep using the word segueway, whaddya gonna do about it?
DOS: Hang on… I've got to take this other call.
Translation: You're a second class citizen.
DOS: Okay, unfortunately that was Paula from HR calling to notify me that all the students have just been laid off. So I guess the classes are cancelled.
Translation: You'd better find some other way to pay your rent.
DOS: We'll pay you for the classes you've already done, of course. In any case, the other thing I wanted to tell you is that paychecks might be a little late this month.
Translation: That's my binge-drinking money, and since you're at the bottom of the totem pole, you can wait until the 15th.
DOS: Well, I'll be in touch if anything else opens up. I do have this one-on-one in Tres Cantos at 8:15 every morning. I'm afraid I can only offer you 14 euros an hour plus transport.
Translation: It's probably better for you to just go back home and chalk this whole thing up to experience. There'll be a new crowd of malleable youngsters coming in this spring who can do your job for even less money.
Just a few bits of wisdom gleaned from my 12 years on the front lines – teaching English here in Madrid.
Of course, I can't write something like this without a shout-out to my friend (AKA we've never met) over at English Droid, who set the bar for TOEFL satire so high. Check out, for example, his article on DOS basics.
Also, on here: Language Pimping for Fun and Profit or The TEFL Job Interview.
P.S. Updated 2017: I've been out of the English teaching game for a long time now. In fact, I'm having lots of fun as self-employed blogger, author and YouTuber. Good times! Also, buy my book. Or if you want to learn English from the beginning, these books are awesome.
Hey Mr Chorizo, where you been at?


Michigan hard rockers Pop Evil are currently putting tons of mileage on their bus as part of the inaugural Trespass America Festival tour. The Metal Hammer-sponsored trek also features Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Emmure, God Forbid, and Battlecross. Pop Evil are out in support of their sophomore album, 2011's War of Angels.
Even though they're probably wreaking havoc off stage as they are when they're performing, Pop Evil still were able to film some video footage exclusively for Noisecreep from the Trespass America tour. Check it out below!
Pop Evil's War of Angels is available now via eOne on iTunes and Amazon. Catch the band on the remaining Trespass America tour dates listed below.


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1. In December 2002, private bankers warned Greenspan that consumers were taking on worrisome amounts of debt and that an unsustainable, interest rate driven housing bubble was fueling this behavior (page 22 of this linked document) .
2. In July of 2003 Greenspan lowered interest rates to one-percent (as in 0%, or one-point-oh ), an emergency rate, and held it there for over a year (see chart below).
3. In February of 2004 Greenspan advised Americans that they'd be better off with adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) than they would with fixed rate mortgages.
4. In October of 2005, the new bankruptcy law, largely written by private banking lobbyists and insiders, was passed.
To summarize; (1) Mr. Greenspan was warned that he was igniting an unsustainable asset bubble, (2) he threw more gasoline on the fire, (3) he then advised consumers to switch to ARMs right before what he knew (for certain) would be a protracted period of rising interest rates, and then (4) kept mum while bankers worked feverishly to pass bankruptcy legislation that was indisputably banking-friendly but a consumer nightmare. Kind of sounds odd when you put out there like that doesn't it?
Now here's the interesting part about the story. To consumers, Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) are good or bad depending on whether interest rates are rising or falling. When interest rates fall the ARM adjusts down with them. The reverse is true when rates are rising.
As the following highly technical table makes clear, you really, really don't want to be holding an ARM during a rate hiking campaign.
Clearly, when interest rates are about to embark on a sustained rise the best advice to consumers would be to lock in a low rate conventional mortgage.
But when we refer to the four data points in the chart above, we observe that Mr. Greenspan advised consumers to take advantage of ARMs right before the onset of what he knew would be a multi-year rate hiking campaign. Obviously he advised people to do the exact opposite of what they should have done. Why did he do that?
We can look at this two ways. On the one hand we could assume that Mr. Greenspan is a very poor banker and that despite his long career in banking he did not have access to the requisite highly technical information (see Table 1, above) and was simply unaware that it was very bad advice to steer people towards ARMs mere months before the onset of a protracted rate hiking campaign. On the other hand we could assume Greenspan knew exactly what he was doing and conclude that his motivations lay with shielding the banking industry from rising interest rates by cajoling consumers into ARMs at the very worst possible moment in the past 50 years.
Naturally, I'd like to assume the best but given the two options, I'm not sure which horse to root for. If I hope he was just a fool, what hopes should I pin on our chances for an agreeable resolution to the credit bubble he created? And If I'm to assume that all his actions were a depraved attempt to shield large banking institutions from a bit of risk then I need to accept the possibility that all of his policies were geared towards promoting institutions over people.
History will tell, but the early returns suggest you would be better off getting your financial advice off the back of a Wheaties box than you would from Mr. Greenspan.
As for me, I'm wondering what to do with all these potatoes.
Trivia question: Who was in attendance at that 2002 meeting with Greenspan?


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Pigs, Pork and Swine
Background and Vocabulary
Pigs and hogs are part of the swine family. Swine were among the first of all animals to be domesticated —around 6,000 years ago. A domesticated animal is one that is trained to live in a human environment and be of use to humans. Forty million years ago, hoglike animals roamed forests and swamps in what are now Europe and Asia. By 4900 BC hogs were domesticated in China. By 1500 BC they were being raised in Europe.
In 1539 Hernando de Soto landed at Tampa Bay, Florida, with 13 pigs, the first in North America. By the time of DeSoto's death, three years later, his hog herd had grown to 700.
There are 377 breeds of pigs around the world. In Oklahoma the most common breeds are Duroc, Hampshire, Yorkshire, Poland and Spot. Duroc pigs are mostly red but can be yellow or golden yellow. They are medium in length with droopy ears. Yorkshire hogs are white. Hampshire hogs are black with a white belt. Poland hogs are black and have droopy ears. Spots are white, with black spots.
Male swine are called "boars." Female swine are called sows. Sows give birth to litters of pigs twice a year. Each litter usually has eight to 12 baby pigs. Giving birth to baby pigs is called farrowing. Baby pigs appear very greedy when they are competing for food from their mothers. For this reason the words "pig" and "hog" have come to be associated with greedy behavior. Despite their reputation, pigs will never overeat. Once a pig is full, it stops eating.
Pigs are weaned when they are two to four weeks old. They are called "nursery pigs" until they reach 50 pounds and "growing/finishing pigs" from then until they reach about 240 pounds. After that they are called hogs. Hogs are usually taken to market when they weigh 240-280 pounds.
Colonists in Pennsylvania developed the practice of "finishing" the hogs on corn (feeding them nothing but corn in the few weeks before butcheringthem). This practice improved the quality of the pork and laid the foundation for the modern pork industry. In the colonial US, hogs were driven to market in large droves over trails that later became routes used by the railroads.
Hog raising became an important commercial enterprise during the 1800s, when the Midwest farm regions were settled. The new Erie Canal system gave farmers a way to get their hogs to the cities back east. Farmers started calling their hogs "mortgage lifters" because the profits from their sales helped pay for the new homesteads.
The hogs would eat corn, grass, clover or even table scraps that would otherwise have become garbage. The word "hogwash," meaning something that is worthless, came from this practice. In some areas hogs would be turned out to find their own food. Hogs would roam freely, eating what they could find— acorns from the ground or roots, which they dug from the ground with their snouts. On Manhattan Island, New York, the hogs rampaged through grain fields until farmers were forced to build a wall to keep them out. The street running along this wall became Wall Street.
Most people had pig pens near their homes and fed the hogs just enough to keep them returning home from their daily forage for food. Everybody had a different hog call so that only their pigs responded to their call. These calls might be a high pitched "sooie," a low pitched "wark," or a simple "here pig, here."
Lard was in high demand for baking, so pork producers grew pigs that were very fat. People could eat foods that were higher in fat then because most were involved in vigorous physical labor that caused their bodies to burn large amounts of fat and calories.
Today most people are not as active as they were back then, and health-conscious consumers want leaner meat. To meet this demand pork producers have changed the way they feed and raise their swine. Most cuts of pork today are as lean or leaner than similar cuts of beef and chicken. Some of the foods fed to swine are corn, wheat and soybean meal. Vitamins and minerals are added to increase growth and improve health. Today's hogs weigh more, but because producers plan their diets carefully, they grow more efficiently and yield more lean meat than ever before.
Many people picture a hog farm as a smelly, muddy place where pigs wallow in muddy pens. Years ago, pigs would lie in the mud to protect themselvesfrom overheating and biting insects. Today most hogs are kept indoors in buildings where producers can control temperature, humidity and other environmental factors. These buildings are well-lit and clean, so the producer can better monitor and promote the health of the hogs. Some operations use indoor and outdoor facilities. Healthy, unstressed animals are more profitable, so producers try to keep their hogs comfortable and happy.
Pork has a high nutrient density (a high level of nutrients for the level of calories). It provides protein, iron, zinc and B Vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin andVitamin B12). Pork has three times as much thiamin as any other food. Thiamin changes carbohydrates into energy and promotes a healthy appetite.
Bacon, pork sausage, pork chops and ham all come from hogs. In addition, swine are used in the production of chewing gum and non-food products like adhesives, plastics, shoes, paint, fertilizer, glass, china, floor wax, chalk, crayons, and heart valves. Hog skin is used as a dressing in treating serious burns, and hog pancreas glands provide insulin to treat diabetes.
This Little Pig
Grades PreK-3: Reading Page, ELA Activities, Science and STEM
Students read about swine and complete worksheets on the reading and vocabulary. Students will compare and contrast different versions of the story of the Three Little Pigs and write their own versions. Students will build houses for the Three Little Pigs and determine if they are strong enough to stand against wind. Students will Race Balloon Pigs to see which pig is the fastest.
Hogs on a Diet
Grades PreK-2: Math
Students will examine grains used in animal feed, sort the grains and use them to practice math facts.
Truth or Hogwash?
Grades 2-5: ELA
Students will work in teams to play a game in which they answer true/false questions about swine and then research and develop questions of their own.
Smart Board Activity: Perspective and Point of View (Need help?)Please be patient with us as we learn how to use this new technology.
Truth or Hogwash Kahoot!
Sows, Boars and Pigs Kahoot!
Which Little Piggy? Ear Notching
Grades 7-8: Math
Students identify procedures used to ear notch pigs and then read the ear notches to determine the pigs litter number and individual number.
More Facts about Swine
How pig parts make the world turn (Ted Talk)
Pork Checkoff Channel (a series of You Tube videos about pork production)
Sparkle: The Story of a LIttle Girl and Her First Show Pig (YouTube video)
Swine Etymology
Piper, the Pig, Has a Day Out - MS Word
Piper, the Pig, Has a Day Out - PowerPoint
Songs about Pigs
Poems about Pigs
Fantasy and Fiction for Swine
Nonfiction for Swine
Pigs, 1854 by John Frederick Herring, Sr
Girl With Pigs, 1782 by Thomas Gainsborough
White Sow With Piglets, 1918 by Niko Pirosmami


"Nota ninetofive job, but Ido DJ stuff andIproduce music for other DJs." Owenlooked atPatience youto 'my boys'. This guy has just won the eKasi Music Fest in. 19 Feb Ekasi Yobwibali by Justo Osala, Shem Tupe, Enos Okola, released 19 from Country Music of Western Kenya: 45s from the archive of Shem. Download Ekasi records music label songs, singles and albums on MP3. Over one million legal MP3 tracks available at Juno Download. Ekasi.
15 Dec The bumper edition of the ever popular Soundz Ekasi series! % homegrown Kwaito and Afro House straight from SA's top urban producers. 5 May MSM Reigns From Petermaritzburg KZN,South kreativekaring.comng Us A Whole New Broken Feel And Futuristic Sounds To His Splendid Track. Other. Ekasi Hot Tunes is the leading YouTube Music Channel in South Africa, For Latest and Hottest Music across all genre's. Subscribe: kreativekaring.com . Ekasi. Explicit. 1. S-Squad feat. Kid X November 26, Hip-Hop/Rap Via Google Play Music app on Android v4+, iOS v7+, or by exporting MP3 files to your. Home>; All Music>; Sonoton | Afro Musique>; AFRO Soundz Ekasi 3 - Mzantsi Madness. AFRO Soundz Ekasi 3 - Mzantsi Madness (38 tracks).
Line-up /. TBA. Various Local Artists from Cape Town Townships and All types of Genres will be performed from Jazz, Hiphop, Kwaito, House music etc. South African black popular music is an urban product. Its rise is The "e" in ekasi is a locational affix as in the preposition "at/in" [the] township. 11 Durban and. Listen to music from kreativekaring.com like A-TWELVES MOBILE and A- TWELVES MUSIC. Find the latest tracks, albums, and images from ekasi. kreativekaring.com Next girl: I live in Alexandra and I love it; me and my friends hang out in ekasi, in hip-hop music; and Alex is renamed ekasi, a popular township slang term.
19 Feb Stream Ekasi Rising Music Festival Competition, a playlist by Ekasi Rising Studios from desktop or your mobile device. If you ever thought that your online work or blog goes unnoticed in this planet, of 7 Billion people Well I'm here to tell you that my friend one day, someone. As a pre-cursor to this awards ceremony, earlier this year (), the sounds of slang and ekasi emcees filled the Baxter Theatre with music from all corners of. Pure Ekasi Music Society - Music is a natural love for all people no matter what age, race or creed. PEMS is a series of events created for people to come.


I am beyond excited to announce that I am one of the 2019 Island Batik Ambassadors!!!! Many of the blogs I follow are written by people who have been Island Batik Ambassadors for a year or more. I love seeing the monthly challenges and how each person did something so different with the same theme and sometimes the exact same fabrics.
When the call for applications for 2019 came out I decided to apply. Batiks are my first love, fabric wise. While I don't use solely batiks these days, I'm still drawn by the colors and designs in batik fabrics and that's usually my favorite section of a quilt shop. Island Batik has such beautiful colors and patterns that the idea of getting to make something with the lovely fabrics *every month* is just so exciting!
Isn't this just amazing!!!! Look at all the awesome!! Disclosure: all items pictured were given to me by Island Batik and their industry partners Aurifil, Hobbs Batting, and Accuquilt.
Lovely Island Batik fabrics. Look at it all!
First, the fabric! Island Batik sent me a 10" stacker of Flea Market (in stores now!) and coordinating light and dark yardage. Flea Market is lovely greens, teals, yellows, and oranges. There is yardage of Island Batik's new solids in white, gray, and black. I also got generous yardage of a neutral from their basics collection, as well as several half yard cuts from that collection. My basics are mostly in the purple family—someone knows my favorite color! And there were two packages of Stash Builder rolls. Stash builder rolls are precuts of 5" by width of fabric and unrolling the bundles is like the best kind of grab bag! Each Ambassador was also given a secret package--you can see it wrapped and marked Surprise! That is a collection that is not yet released and will be unveiled during a blog hop in August. Everything I've mentioned so far are standard batiks (cotton). There were also two rayon items: a lovely black and white scarf and a two-yard cut of multi-colored rayon. I don't normally sew clothes but part of the point is to venture out of my comfort zone and try new things.
There were also 5 spools of thread from Aurifil. I am in love with Aurifil thread AND they have fantastic customer service support. I'm especially excited to try their floss; mine is the gray spool on the far right.
Hobbs batting really spoils us! There are two queen-size batts here, plus silk batting and polyester Thermore to play with. I have never used black batting before and am very interested to see how I like it--and I have a project in mind!
Accuquilt is a new industry partner for Island Batik. Each Ambassador was sent an Accuquilt GO! cutter, a GO! cube, which is their set of die shapes to make tons of different blocks, a 2 1/2" strip die, and the Quilt in a Day GO! Qube book by Eleanor Burns. I've had an Accuquilt cutter for a few years now and I LOVE it! I use mostly for cutting my scraps to certain sizes (it's fantastic for scrap management!) and also have a few fun applique dies.
I cannot begin to say how honored and thrilled I am to be a part of this program for 2019! My first challenge project is done, but I'm currently in Oregon with family and didn't get to take photos before I left, so you'll have to wait until the second half of the month to see it. In the meantime, visit some of the other 2019 Island Batik Ambassadors!
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood THAT'S ME!!!
Congratulations! I adore Hobbs and Aurifil too. The black is wonderful to use with dark fabrics. I'll be interested to see what projects you come up with!
Wow ! Congratulations! What a great recognition and what fun stuff to play with. I've considered applying but I worry about keeping up month to month. I'll be interested to see how the year goes for you- you will make great things!
Lots of fun goodies to play with! Congrats on being selected as an ambassador. Looking forward to seeing how you interpret the monthly challenges.
Congrats on being an ambassador this year! I can't wait to see all the fun stuff you create with all this loot!!
What a haul! Congrats on becoming an ambassador!


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Beard Bet...It just got serious folks.
Graphic by Eddie "Emcee Phi" Nguyen
On December 30th Brock Lesnar will make his much anticipated return to the UFC octagon. "The Next Big Thing," as he was known in the WWE, will be fighting for the first time since undergoing surgery that removed 12 inches of his intestines. He will be taking on Alistair Overeem, who will be making his long-awaited UFC debut. The 2010 K1 Grand Prix champion will take on Lesnar in a five round fight to determine the next contender for Junior Dos Santos's heavyweight title.Given this main event, UFC 141 will likely be one of the biggest pay per views of the year.
If this fight wasn't big enough, DJ Mark with a "K" and I, Doctor Law, decided to raise the stakes with a beard bet. This comes down to both of us backing guys that we feel do not get enough respect. It breaks down like this: I believe Brock Lesnar is unfairly being continually crapped on by the hardcore MMA fanbase. They don't like that he's a former pro wrestler, the type of fans he brings to MMA, and that he has was given a shot at the title after only 3 professional fights. These fans fail to recognize just how truly bad ass Brock Lesnar is. They tend to overlook that he is a former national champion wrestler. Also, the man deserves some serious credit for taking on such a tough opponent after such a long layoff (combined with a serious surgery).
Alistair Overeem, on the other hand deals with a lack of recognition from the common fan, the wide-spread belief that he is on steroids and perception that he only fights scrubs. DJ Mark will tell you that Overeem has arguably been the best heavyweight in the world for years. Also, while Alistair has not faced the best competition in the world yet, his skills cannot be denied given the way he destroys all of his opponents. (DJ Mark and I both have no comment on the steroid accusations).
Let's be real people, the most important part of this fight is the beard bet. I will be betting my beautiful black beard against the glorified peach fuzz that DJ Mark has on his face. Defending my honor will be the former NCAA, WWE (still counts) and UFC champion, Brock Lesnar while the former K1, Dream and Strikeforce champion will be defending DJ Mark's right to pay some sort of pitiful homage to Guy Fawlkes. It's time for these two men to reward us for our faith in them. It's very simple: if Mr. Lesnar wins, I keep my beard and if he loses, America weeps.
The stakes have never been higher people. Being the #1 contender is secondary to the true prize up for grabs on December 30. I don't like losing and I especially don't like looking like a 16 year old fat kid. Here's hoping Brock doesn't let me down.
(Trailer for the fight after the jump)
Labels: Alistair Overeem, Beard Bet, Brock Lesnar, UFC 141
Matt R December 21, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Lesnar will win and Doctor Law will retain his beard.
DJ Mark with a "K" December 22, 2011 at 9:23 PM
Well Matt why don't we make it interesting?? Three way Beard Bet?!?!
Matt R December 27, 2011 at 4:45 PM
Mark-in most instances i would be willing to jump in on this, but i am currently not sporting a beard. not to mention, when i do have growth i dont think it is respectable enough to be called a beard.
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For a woman, LOVE comes naturally due to their emotional nature.
For a man, it takes plenty of work & mad effort to achieve the same.
Why so you may ask; coz of this thing called the EGO. Simply said, A MAN IS HIS EGO.
Take away the ego out of the man and you are left with a boy without confidence or vision.
Love demands that a man lower his shied; let down his ego.
Love, by design, only exists & flourishes where competition is absent, extinguished or extinct.
Remove the ego & you will see love dig its roots so deep that only death can dare dampen its strength.
The Man, convinced that he can balance both worlds (Love & Ego), enters into unions that are marked with constant strife, unhappiness, discomfort &a tragic breaking of hearts. What the Man refuses to understand is that two lions cannot rule the same pride; two bulls cannot share the same kraal; Love & Ego cannot dwell in the same heart!!
One of them has to take the back stand.
EGO is about SELF; LOVE is about SELFLESSNESS. Ego is about YOU; Love is about HER.
So the battle rages on; the one which WINS depends on the one which you constantly FEED.
That is how it is, how it has been & how it will continue to be, so CHOOSE WISELY!!
Starve the ego; FEED THE LOVE.


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Europe contracts as world economy slumps, analysts forecast
The European economy shrank during the second quarter, data to be released Thursday is forecast to show, dragged down by a slumping German economy and fuelling worries about a sharp slowdown in the region during the run-up to the end of the year, dpa reported.
While analysts expect the 15-member eurozone to have contracted by 0.2 per cent during the three months to the end of June, Germany is forecast to report that its economy shrank by 0.8 per cent after the currency bloc's biggest economy grew at its fastest pace in 12 years during the first quarter.
Data to be published Thursday is also projected by analysts to show economic growth in France slowing from 0.5 per cent during the first quarter to 0.2 per cent in the latest three months.
This would cut year-on-year growth in the eurozone's second biggest economy from 2 per cent to 1.8 per cent.
The German economy bounded into 2008 following a two-year upswing to chalk up a 1.5-per-cent expansion rate during the first three months of the year.
Since then, however, a steady stream of gloomy economic sentiment surveys and downbeat economic numbers has helped to raise concerns about the outlook for the European economy.
Also overhanging the European economic outlook is the threat posed by resurgent inflation with data to be published tipped to confirm annual consumer prices posted a record 4.1 per cent again in July. Comments last week from European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet that the eurozone economy faced weak growth in the coming months resulted in the euro suffering its biggest weekly drop, pushing the common currency down to near a six-month low against the greenback of about 1.50 dollars.
This also came amid fears that several eurozone economies which have been hit badly by the global financial market and credit crisis such as Spain, Ireland and Italy could be on the brink of recession.
Italy's statistics office said last week that the eurozone's third economy shrank by 0.3 per cent quarter on quarter, resulting in zero growth on the year. This followed a 0.4-per-cent slump during the first quarter.
On Wednesday, the European Commission's statistics organization Eurostats said eurozone industrial production slipped by 0.5 per cent in June compared to the same month last year.
Economists had predicted a modest 0.2-per-cent increase in June.
A quarter-on-quarter German economic growth rate of 0.8 per cent would mean year on year the nation's economy slowed from 2.6 per cent in the first quarter to 1.7 per cent in the three months to the end of June.
At the same time, year-on-year growth in the eurozone slipped back from 2.1 per cent in the first quarter to 1.5 per cent in the three months to the end of June, analysts' forecast the data to be released on Thursday by Eurostats will show.
The eurozone grew quarter on quarter at 0.7 per cent during the first three months of the year.


REDDING, Calif. – The Knights continue to climb in the Golden Valley Conference standings, posting an undefeated week to move into second place in the GVC.
Shasta College edged Butte College 3-2 at home and played to a scoreless draw against College of the Redwoods last week to hold a 0.5 game lead for second over Butte. Lake Tahoe Community College holds a commanding lead in the conference at 8-0.
The Knights are 4-2-1 in GVC play and 9-4-1 overall, including only one loss in their past six matches.
Butte took a 2-1 lead over Shasta in the 59th minute but Shasta scored twice in span of 10 minutes to pull out the victory. Taylor Pinnell scored the equalizer on a penalty kick in the 65th minute and Emily Brooks had the game-winner on an unassisted goal in the 75th minute.
Maite Silva-Bradley scored the Knights' first goal on an assist from Sierra Brenner. Goalkeeper Alexandra Erickson had five saves and allowed on goal in 45 minutes of play, and Paige Reed had six saves and allowed one goal in 45 minutes in the net.
Against Redwoods, for yellow cards were handed out, including a red card to Rylie Pinnell. It was the third time the Knights posted a shutout this season but couldn't get a victory.
Shasta held the edge on shots on goal 5-4 and overall shots 14-5. Reed and Kirstin Adams each had saves for the Knights.
Shasta hosts Feather River College Friday and Lassen College on Tuesday.


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Meet Waswa, Bungoma Man who started own Auditing Firm after being Denied Job
Jan 16, 2023 Kenya News, Madesto Waswa, News
I was told I am 'overqualified', had to begin my practice, says Bungoma-based CPA(K) Waswa
A conversation with a bank branch manager on the while seeking employment on the current job market may have been the trigger needed to spur Madesto Waswa to start his own auditing firm in Bungoma, Western Kenya.
A degree holder in Bachelor of Business Administration (B.A) from the Technical University of Kenya, Waswa says he was adamant on securing a job right after completing his college education like everyone student,however, the journey was not as rosy as anticipated.
"I encountered many challenges whilst applying for a job. I remember right after an interview when one of the managers at the Equity bank branch I was applying at told me that having cleared my CPA level 6 will not guarantee me a job as I will be deemed overqualified and someone might sabotage my career", recalls Waswa.
It was at that moment that he decided to start his own venture, adding that he has always strove to be the best employer in the world and provide opportunities to other young people from across board.
Having undertaken his high school education at Friends' School Kamusinga, he prides himself as the Chief Executive Officer of Madesto Waswa and Associates, beemed as one of the leading firms in Bungoma and Western Kenya region at large.
He says the decision to establish his practice in Bungoma crops from the need to first begin at what he calls "home".
'I decided to establish here because of the need to begin solving issues affecting my people and enhance good practices to businesses and persons right from here", added CPA(K) Waswa.
Having began his firm in 2019, serving individuals, businesses, an array of parastatals and even non-Governmental organisations, he advises businesses to engage professionals as chances are they might end up in a wrong way and lead to the collapse of their businesses.
Waswa states that ignoring professionals is detrimental as for businesses to grow, different organs need different levels of expertise and businesses that choose to ignore this their lifespan is brief.
Having recently been elected as the Auditor General within the Kenya Youth Federation, Bungoma County, Waswa advises those who want to venture into accountancy to be ready for the toil as studying it requires sacrifice, time and hardwork as he calls it a "profession of the strong".
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LG Gaming Monitor Named Official Display for EMEA Championships 2023


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Superheroes are defenders of the Status Quo
Published May 20, 2021 By Wesley DugleCategorized as Deep Dives Tagged comic books, Marvel, MCU, Superheroes, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
I think I'm finally over superheroes.
I don't mean that I'll completely stop consuming Marvel and DC properties (cause I'm a sucker for escapism and nostalgia) or that they weren't important to my upbringing as a geek and nerd, but I think I've finally moved past the idea of it being a transformative genre or at least one that should be.
This became finally apparent to me after watching Disney+'s latest MCU vehicle "The Falcon & The Winter Solider."
The show, generally speaking, is solid enough. If you liked "The Winter Soldier" or "Civil War," which I did, it pressed all the same buttons that made those movies good between the spy movie action, international espionage, and a good balance of serious tone with less but still humorous quipping in between that the MCU is known for. The lead characters of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes played by Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan respectively do a pretty great job in their roles and play off each other well. The action is solid, it's well-produced, and at the very least fast-paced.
It's a show I would have loved the hell out of…a couple years ago.
Ok, but I still love Daniel Bruhl regardless.
2019 was the last time I saw an MCU film in theaters. I preordered tickets months in advance with my friends to catch the climactic final chapter of The Avengers in "Endgame" and a couple months later happily went back to watch "Spider-man: Far From Home." I enjoyed the hell out of both, and though I had some criticisms politically back then, especially of "Far From Home," I largely saw them as both positive pieces of pop culture media that I would likely watch again. This was the last year I felt this way about the franchise.
I thought my politics were pretty radicalized before 2020. I didn't vote for Obama in 2012 because of what I learned about the drone program. Held critical opinions about the state of capitalism in this country and was feeling "The Bern" in the early 2020 primaries. But the year proved to be more transformative for myself than I anticipated.
It began with the pandemic and the spread of COVID. The whole world grinded to a halt as medical disaster loomed everywhere and many places were hit hard but none more embarrassing than the US itself where our already broken healthcare system was put to task combined with a government that largely either did not believe it to be serious or just didn't care at all. While other countries guaranteed their citizens medical and financial safety (to a certain extent at least) ours largely left us in the dust by either paying lip service to our needs or flat out telling us to "open up" and suck it up.
So many of us suffered needlessly during this period in a disaster that many developed countries for the most part avoided. It was eye opening watching both parties sit on their hands and do nothing as people died or burned their savings trying to survive financially all because helping us out in a real way may have been seen as "cOmMuNiSm" to some.
In the end all we got was a $1,200 band-aid for our troubles followed by some chump change forwarded to us later on in the year. It was insulting.
Me watching our government flounder through the early months of the pandemic…
But my real awakening came several months later, in late May, when George Floyd was murdered by the Minneapolis police. Black men and women getting killed by police wasn't anything new to me before of course or to anyone really at the time. I remember Ferguson and the many other horrifying instances of police overreach but for the most part I still justified the existence of our system and law enforcement every time at the end. This time it was different though, with the way things were already in bad shape before in the year this one truly changed the way I felt about not just policing in this country but of the entire US military-industrial complex and American exceptionalism.
I watched countless videos of the protests that turned bloody and violent by riot cops who clearly weren't looking to calm tempers and ease tensions in their community. They were out for blood and got it in multiple cities across the country. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that every protester acted like angels in the streets out there but its hard for me to imagine that every situation caught on video was "out of context" as many law enforcement supporters would tell you. And trust me there is A LOT of videos that would be hard for even the most staunch of Blue Lives Matter supporters to dismiss.
Seriously, you cannot tell me ALL OF THIS is "out of context."
(Source: Some More News via YouTube)
The scene that took place in back of The White House last year was the final straw. It revealed to me that law enforcement isn't here to uphold justice. They are not here to protect us, the people. They are here to defend largely corrupt laws by the politicians who write them and protect property and their own autonomy granted to them by the state to carry out their brand of justice in any way they see fit. They are defenders of the status quo and if 2020 has taught me anything the status quo is not fucking working anymore.
So, what does this have to do with superheroes you might ask? Well, superheroes are, since their inception, defenders of the status quo, whether fans want to admit it or not. They are cops in capes essentially as their enemies are always people who exist outside law and order. Whether it's The Joker or even fucking Killmonger, the bad guy is still the same regardless of motive; they want to upend society and order.
Their stories often justify extreme violence and extrajudicial authority because the bad guys are upsetting that order. The earliest comic books, for most part, told this in pretty black and white terms and even many of today's comics still see superheroes as defenders of society versus those who would disrupt it.
But what if society is dead wrong? What if society has been wrong for a very long time?
And no, I'm not trying to sound like this…
"The Falcon and The Winter Soldier" in some ways tries to address the cultural shift that occurred in 2020. Sam is very aware of the fact that he is a black man in white America. A huge part of the plot is him wrestling with the idea of being unable to move from Captain America's shadow because of this identity, because of the racism that exists in America. All this takes place as a group of radicals tries to move the world to a borderless society that existed following Thanos snapping half of humanity out of existence.
It's a decent enough plotline, one that puts a timely subject in the middle of this superhero story but the problem for me is…why the fuck should Sam want to be Captain America, given everything that he has seen and likely knows about this country as a black man?
Yes, he, of course, had a close friendship with Steve Rogers in the series, and comic books, that plays into this story and certainly from that angle of inheriting his best bud's favorite frisbee I get that but again why does he want to be the face of this country?
If America has proven anything in recent years it's that the idea behind it and especially that of its philosophy of truth, justice, and exceptionalism is fraught at best and downright a nefarious lie at worst. In fact, Sam learns quite clearly at one point in the season how much of a lie it is when he meets Isaiah Bradley, a black man who was given the super-soldier serum by the US government. Isaiah tells his story in painful fashion, how he was experimented on and discarded by the country he fought so hard for in WWII, which narratively references the very real-life experiments done on the Tuskegee soldiers of that period.
It's heartbreaking, as it should be, but how is this storyline resolved in the show? Sam gets him an exhibit at The Smithsonian next to Cap as if reparations was only about being seen in the American history books. This is not justice for what Isaiah went through, even though the show plays it as such, it's actually insulting in my opinion as it insidiously describes real life struggles for justice by the African American diaspora as just a simple desire to be acknowledged rather than receive well overdue reparations for what they have been through. "Justice" in the eyes of the writers is about wanting to be seen as American and no one stops to ask why one would want that after what America does to many of these marginalized groups.
As an Asian American I used to find the story of the all Japanese American battalion of WWII, the 442nd, to be inspiring. But now all I think about is how these men fought for this country while their families were held in camps back home…
This desire to want to be the face of a country that has done this to one of its own becomes even sillier when confronted with the villains of this season in The Flag Smashers. I'll be honest and say I'm still not 100 percent sure what exactly their demands were in the narrative of the story but they quite clearly serve a purpose narraively representing radical revolutionaries who tip-toe the line of good and evil in the eyes of the audience.
Whether fans want to admit it or not they are meant to be reflections of other radicalized groups taking on the status quo such as Black Lives Matter and ANTIFA. They're not meant to be 100 percent accurate depictions, can't be too on the nose of course, but make no mistake that's who they are supposed to be to the audience.
And that's just how America see's domestic revolutionaries…
The Flag Smashers are pissed about things returning to "normal" and those in power ignoring people who have been left behind by their governments and country following "The Blip" as described in the story. They don't want normal because normal wasn't working before and why would it work now? They're a problem for our heroes in the story because Sam and Bucky are here to protect normal folk in society and The Flag Smashers' actions are often violent and disruptive to those people and the agents of the good ol' US of A can't have that.
Sam recognizes though that their leader has a point, because again he's a black man in America, he understands that shit is broken. But instead of helping the revolutionaries get the justice they are seeking he instead spends much of the series brow-beating about them being "too extreme" and "killing indiscriminately" until the show's finale. "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier" literally opens with Sam circumventing international law to stop some mercenaries by killing them extrajudicially over foreign airspace. Why are his actions framed as heroic for doing this on behalf of the state but the revolutionaries are framed as radical for having their own agency in determining what they should do? Who gets to be violent and disruptive in this world?
Hate to break this to all of you but the wheel of change and actual resistance is often bloody and messy. This country and many others were literally founded on that premise. It's time to start acknowledging violence as a valid response to injustice.
This is all purposeful or at least purposeful in that the directors and writers were all raised in a country that values this very contradictory viewpoint of what is right. Justice can only be achieved through means that are considered correct by the state or by the agents employed by the state to do as they see fit.
Even "Not Captain America" John Walker gets to kill one of the radicals in vicious cold blood and is chummy with our protagonists at the end of the season. When do his actions become too radical? When is justice truly served to agents of the state who commit violence on its behalf? He serves no jail time and gets a slap on the wrist for his actions.
Again, why is Sam defending the honor of this system? Why is he not really questioning it too?
Also, Bucky, is there really a difference between you being a hired gun for a country that has been involved in countless war crimes over its history and Hydra?
The climatic final battle ends with Sam giving a speech to some UN diplomats about the nature of extremism. That if you push people around enough they turn to radical ways of fixing the world and that is correct. As Martin Luther King once said "A riot is the language of the unheard." It very much echoes this idea, that people when pushed to their limit and given no way to be heard or seen will react often violently to make change occur. The problem with this speech by Sam though it still very much is critical of radical revolutionary action. That change still has to occur "the right way" that "we have to be better." The problem with such a line is that it's as empty as House Democrats dressing up in kente clothing and kneeling in Congress for Black Lives Matter. It's the cinematic equivalent of "We see you, we hear you, we feel you." It's a big load of nothing that actually makes zero real demands.
Seriously just the worst fucking idea. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Even though The Flag Smashers are seen sympathetically by the script, much like how Liberals see BLM, they aren't actually treated sympathetically, In fact the script washes their hands of them in the final episode. The point isn't to seek justice for them but to placate them as far as the state will allow.
You might say that the series quite clearly shows that the UN does do something from this in proceeding scene but what materially is going to change? Despite the MCU's 20-plus movie and TV show connected storyline, the real world doesn't experience a ton of change outside what Thanos did despite the heroes' mighty powers and influence. Even "Black Panther," by far the series' most radical and I guess "wokest" film, doesn't actually change the world much in the films and series that follow. That movie ends with Wakanda opening up its borders and technology to the rest of the world but is any of it actually seen from there? King T'Challa opens up an outreach center in Oakland but did he materially change the world that African Americans live in? Did he actually address the problems that created Killmonger by being a philanthropist on par with Bill fucking Gates?
Uh oh… (source)
At the end of the day Superhero stories can still be fun and teach plenty of meaningful lessons to young readers and audiences alike regarding truth and justice but it's that third part "The American Way" that gets insidious. Even when our heroes correctly identify a real problem in the world what do they actually change by the story's end typically?
Propaganda isn't just as simple as saying "America good" and "foreign adversary bad," it's much more subtle and frankly more insidious than that often. "Captain Marvel" might be a story about literal "girl power" and I guess gaslighting but it's also a glorified Air Force commercial funded by the Pentagon during a period where female cadets are very likely to be sexually harassed by their fellow male officers. "Iron Man" says some right things about the sales of military hardware overseas but does so without bringing up the "C word" and justifies it so long as a wealthy billionaire gets to call all the shots with it. Hell, in DC's case "The Dark Knight" has some interesting things to say about fear and chaos but it also justifies our surveillance state in the war against terrorism which I have already discussed at length in another write-up.
This is literal Blue Lives Matter propaganda…
America is not great. We have a long history of doing the wrong thing and we have been fed a narrative of exceptionalism since birth from our history books that get further justified by big budget Hollywood action flicks in the superhero genre.
2020 showed me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the status quo of this country has failed us. Whether it is our crumbling healthcare system, our apathetic government who leaves us to die, or the agents they employ to keep us in line, I'm done with being told America is the best at anything besides its own failure to help its people.
Superheroes even at their most critical still at the end of the day justify the existence of the societies we live in and never ask for real substantive changes to it. This genre is not nearly as radical as liberals think it is or "wOkE pC cULtuRe" as the conservative reactionaries will tell you otherwise. That may seem obvious to many but it really needs to be said again. They are defenders of the status quo and after the year we just all had I am over anyone that still believes in this, fictional or otherwise.
To end this write-up, I'll leave you with this exerpt by arguably the greatest comic-book writer of all-time, Alan Moore the creator of "Watchmen." Read the whole passage then ask yourselves if superheroes really have anything meaningful left to say in the world we live in today…
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Categorized as Deep Dives Tagged comic books, Marvel, MCU, Superheroes, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
A shitty job becomes madness in "The Lighthouse"
"Cowboy Bebop" reminds us to rediscover our lost Humanity


More than half the nation's teachers would have fallen short of the federal government's basic definition of "highly qualified" if a current law had been in effect during the 1999-2000 school year, concludes a Department of Education report on teacher quality.
The release last month of the second annual report to Congress on the subject was closely followed by a General Accounting Office report criticizing the Education Department for its lack of guidance to states in determining who in their teaching corps is highly qualified. The department has announced plans to help states further.
View the accompanying map, "Teacher Waivers."
Under the "No Child Left Behind" Act of 2001, every elementary school teacher and all secondary school teachers of core subjects— English/language arts, mathematics, science, foreign language, social studies, and the arts—must be "highly qualified" by the end of the 2005-06 school year. Newly hired teachers in schools that receive Title I money for disadvantaged students were supposed to have met the necessary criteria last fall.
Progress is being made, the Education Department report notes. For example, teacher-candidates in 35 states must hold a bachelor's degree to be certified, and as of last October, "a total of 35 states had developed and linked teacher- certification requirements to student content standards," the report says.
Still, 6 percent of all teachers nationwide have not obtained full certification, according to the report. And California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, and Texas reported that more than 10 percent of their teachers were working under waivers that allow them to teach with emergency or temporary licenses.
Using what the department deems an "approximate definition" of a highly qualified teacher, the report says that at the secondary level, 50 percent of English teachers, 47 percent of mathematics teachers, 55 percent of science teachers, and 55 percent of social studies teachers were "highly qualified" in the 1999-2000 school year.
That definition includes a teacher who has at least a bachelor's degree, state teacher certification, and a major in the field he or she teaches.
Teachers without such majors, however, can be considered highly qualified if they pass an assessment or meet "a high, objective, uniform state standard of evaluation," according to the law.
Those standards are still under development in most states.
By excluding educators who have met such a standard of evaluation, the report incorrectly tabulates how many can be considered highly qualified, contends Kati Haycock, the director of Education Trust, a Washington-based research and advocacy group for disadvantaged students.
"It is troubling to say the least," Ms. Haycock said. "The report has a lot of incorrect data."
Among the measures the department looked at were the number of teachers working under waivers, a number that rose or fell dramatically in some states from the 2000- 01 to the 2001-02 school year. For example, according to last year's report, Pennsylvania had 953 teachers with waivers in the 2000-01 school year. During the 2001-02 school year, that number jumped to 3,814, according to this year's data. And in Utah, the number of such teachers dropped from 2,535 in the 2000- 01 school year to just 532 the following year.
A decrease in the number of waivers could be expected as states move toward compliance with the federal law. Less clear is why the waivers increased in some states. A spokeswoman for the Education Department said the reported data were obtained from the states.
"Is that true," Ms. Haycock asked of the reported data, "or just bad data?"
The report also fails to discuss teacher-preparation programs adequately, she argued.
Meanwhile, the report from the GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, calls on the Education Department to provide states with more direction in helping them judge highly qualified teachers.
At the request of Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., the GAO set out to determine how many teachers met the highly qualified criteria in the 2002-03 school year, how states were planning to use federal funding earmarked to help them meet that requirement, and what conditions were holding states back from effectively reaching the standard.
The GAO report concludes: "We could not develop reliable data on the number of highly qualified teachers because states did not have the information needed to determine whether all teachers met the criteria."
For example, clear criteria for special education teachers and educators entering the field through alternative-certification programs were not available from the federal Education Department until late 2002, the GAO says.
Between July 2002 and May of this year, the GAO surveyed the 50 states and the District of Columbia and received 37 responses. Of those, 32 "said that they needed clear and timely guidance" from the department, the report says.
In addition, state education officials reported that low salaries and a lack of ways to move up in the field make it much more difficult to hire teachers who would be considered highly qualified.
To help states interpret and implement the law, the Education Department intends to establish a "teaching-assistance corps."
Teams of experts "will offer guidance and feedback on state efforts, address specific state challenges, and provide useful information from other states about promising practices in the field," according to a statement from the federal department.
As states implement the law, "they are getting more complex questions, and we are trying to respond to those," said Rene Islas, a special assistant to U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige.
States must submit information to the Education Department on the numbers of highly qualified teachers in their ranks next month, but need more clarification before they can fulfill that requirement, said Patricia F. Sullivan, the deputy executive director of the division of advocacy and strategic alliances for the Council of Chief State School Officers.
"Providing clear guidance and answering states' questions would be helpful," she said.
Education Department directives have not been as rigid for the "highly qualified teacher" standard as they were for the No Child Left Behind Act's "adequate yearly progress" requirement, said Lynn Cornett, the senior vice president of the Atlanta-based Southern Regional Education Board.
"It was more or less, 'Here are the guidelines,' " she said. She added that they differ for elementary teachers, secondary teachers, new teachers, veterans, and special education teachers. Implementing the new law will be a challenge for the states, said Mr. Islas, acknowledging that there is some confusion because of all the changes. By forming the new corps of experts and releasing more guidelines later this month, he added, "we are trying to ease that confusion."
"NEA Seeks Allies to Bring Lawsuit on ESEA Funding," this issue.
"A Blessing in Disguise," Commentary, June 4, 2003.
"GOP Lawmakers Warn of Enhanced Higher Ed. Role," May 21, 2003.
"Online School Could Address ESEA Decrees," March 19, 2003.
For background, previous stories, and Web links, see 'No Child Left Behind' and Teacher Quality.


Malasadas are one of the all time favorite snacks at community functions and fund-raisers. If you make this, you will rapidly become popular with all of your local friends. A non-traditional (read haole) way of preparing this is to add nutmeg or cinnamon to the sugar mixture that is used to coat the maladsadas.
Dissolve yeast, sugar and water and set aside. Beat eggs. Measure flour into mixing bowl and add salt. Make a well in the flour, pour yeast mixture, eggs and other ingredients. Beat in circular motion until the dough is soft. Cover, let raise until double. Turn dough over but do not punch down. Cover and let raise again. Heat oil to 375 degrees and drop dough by teaspoon full into oil and cook until brown. Shake in brown bag with sugar. Best when hot.
Note: If the malasadas have a tendency to come out with the center still doughy, turn the heat down on the oil which will allow them to cook longer.


text:
Paper $25.00 ISBN: 9788024643809 Will Publish April 2020 Not for sale in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic
Myths and Traditions of Central European University Culture
Lukáš Fasora and Jirí Hanuš
Translated by Graeme Dibble
By examining the myriad myths surrounding Central European universities, Czech historians Lukáš Fasora and Jiří Hanuš take a diachronic approach to investigating the issues facing higher learning in the region. Using careful historical research, the authors point out vast discontinuities, comparing how the philosophy of education from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century has changed and how this evolution relates to the current administrative goals of higher education. As they confront the history and myths of university education, the authors do not shy away from exploring difficult questions, such as whether political and economic influences have completely transformed the goals and structure of today's universities in Central Europe. Though focused on university systems in a specific geographic region, the findings have wide-ranging implications for higher education the world over.
An introduction for foreign readers Myth: an attempt at understanding university history The myth of university freedom The Humboldtian myth The myth of the united university The myth of indisputable foundations The myth of contributing to society The myth of university governance The myth of territory The history of university culture and some current issues Bibliography
Jirí Štaif, head of the Department of Social History at Charles University, Prague
"This is a highly topical and rewarding book, as it provides a fresh rejoinder to many foreign and domestic discussions about the past, present, and future mission of universities."


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Looking back at the news that affected libraries
Wong's election makes ALA history
At the conclusion of the 2021 Annual Conference Virtual, Patricia "Patty" M. Wong began her term as the first Asian American to serve as ALA president.
The American Rescue Plan Act and libraries
When President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on March 11, the Institute of Museum and Library Services received $200 million, the largest single increase in the agency's 25-year history. The funding package also provided more than $7 billion to establish the Emergency Connectivity Fund, an initiative to benefit academic, public, and school library–eligible programs through the Federal Communications Commission's E-Rate program.
Photo: Library of Congress
Libraries mark centennial of Tulsa Race Massacre
In spring 1921, racial tensions erupted in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and violent white mobs destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in an affluent Black neighborhood. Tulsa City–County Library commemorated the massacre's centennial with an immersive exhibit and educational programming and Shawnee (Okla.) Middle School won the 2021 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for its program, "The Tulsa Race Massacre: Assumptions Cause Conflict in Society." The Library of Congress also changed its subject heading to Tulsa Race Massacre to more accurately reflect the event.
ALA Business Advisory Group gets new class
On January 13, ALA revived its Business Advisory Group, appointing 13 new members from libraries, civic life, technology, and academia to support business development and new strategic plans for the benefit of the Association and the wider LIS sector.
Fair Oaks Elementary School bookmobile in Cobb County, Georgia Photo: Kelli Wood
Creativity from necessity
In the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, library workers continued to create and adapt programs and services. Libraries provided drive-in storytimes, telemedicine assistance, "job fairs in a bag," and new forms of outdoor programming and bookmobile outreach to safely meet patrons' needs.
Aiding the vaccination effort
In early 2021, many public libraries began serving as COVID-19 vaccination sites in their communities. Libraries from New York to Indiana to Florida were seen as suitable distribution centers because they are ADA-accessible and have daily hours, safety features (such as security cameras), and onsite technology (including laptops for health care workers to use). In a time when libraries around the country were hit with budget cuts, staffers said public health efforts like these raised awareness of libraries' value.
Jill Biden and Barack Obama
Photos: Adam Schultz (Biden);
Pari Dukovic (Obama)
Biden, Obama address librarians
First Lady Jill Biden delivered the Closing Session speech at ALA's 2021 Midwinter Meeting Virtual, and former president Barack Obama closed the 2021 Annual Conference and Exhibition Virtual.
ALA distributes $1.25 million in emergency relief
The American Library Association's (ALA) COVID Library Relief Fund distributed $1.25 million in grants to 34 academic, public, school, and tribal libraries that experienced pandemic-related economic hardship. The grants of $30,000–$50,000 supported library services and operations, particularly efforts to expand technology access, collection development, digital instruction, staffing, and outreach.
Core values come under fire
The year saw increasing challenges and protests at library and school board meetings over materials and curricula, particularly those addressing race and the legacy of slavery. On August 18 ALA's Executive Board joined dozens of other institutions in defense of intellectual freedom and social justice in the classroom: "As members of a profession committed to free and equitable access to information and the pursuit of truth, we stand firm in opposing any effort to suppress knowledge, to label 'controversial' views, or dictate what is orthodox in history, politics, or belief."
ALA Code of Ethics gains ninth principle
On June 29, ALA Council approved the addition of a new principle focused on equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice:
"We affirm the inherent dignity and rights of every person. We work to recognize and dismantle systemic and individual biases; to confront inequity and oppression; to enhance diversity and inclusion; and to advance racial and social justice in our libraries, communities, profession, and associations through awareness, advocacy, education, collaboration, services, and allocation of resources and spaces."
Library of Congress Photo: © Bruno Coelho/Adobe Stock
January 6 Capitol riot; Library of Congress evacuated
Rioters protesting the election of President Biden stormed, occupied, and vandalized the US Capitol Building on January 6. Library of Congress employees and contractors were among the federal employees evacuated during the insurrection.
Emergency broadband discount program launched
In May, the Federal Communications Commission launched its $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit program, which provides discounts on broadband internet service and digital devices for eligible low-income households.
Photo: © Eduard Moldoveanu/Adobe Stock
Libraries across the country commemorated the 20th anniversary of September 11 with displays, programs, artwork, and educational resources, as well as posters provided free by the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Big acquisitions in tech
Two of the biggest library technology companies were acquired by companies outside the field. In May, Clarivate purchased ProQuest for $5.3 billion in the largest library-sector transaction to date. Follett School Solutions was sold by its parent company, Follett Corporation, to private equity investment firm Francisco Partners in September.
Photo: Elvert Barnes
ALA speaks out against anti-Asian hate crimes
On March 11, the ALA Executive Board issued a statement in solidarity with the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association's stance recognizing and condemning anti-Asian violence. The Executive Board called on ALA members to condemn the "wave of anti-Asian language, hate speech, and physical assaults on streets across the country, in media reports, in statements by politicians, and on social media related to the origins of COVID-19."
equity diversity and inclusion
Special Report: The Legacy of 9/11
How the attacks affected the library world
Confronting History
Tulsa library educates on race massacre


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Q: Add hover on css class I use bootstrap and datatable.
I created this class.
.nonCompliant{
    background: #de5d5d;
}

It put on the tr of some row of the table.
Would like to put another color when nonCompliant class is displayed and hover event
tried
table#samplesTestsTable.dataTable tbody tr:hover > .nonCompliant{
    background: #c11f1f;
}

and
tr:hover > .nonCompliant{
    background: #c11f1f;
}

without good result.
Edit code of the row

190475A	2019-04-23

A: If the .nonCompliant class is modifying the tr itself, then
.nonCompliant:hover {
   background: #c11f1f;
}

should work. Otherwise if .nonCompliant is on a direct child element of the tr, like a td,
tr:hover .nonCompliant {
   background: #c11f1f;
}

or the child selector you're already using.

A: If you are applying the class directly to the hr tag, then you can just do this:

.someclass:hover{
  background-color: yellow;
}

    Firstname
    Lastname
    Age

    Hello2

    Lastname
    Age

else, if its a direct child you could to this:
tr:hover .nonCompliant {
   background-color: yellow;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This post is brought to you by Mount Airy Resort & Casino. All lodging, meals and extras were provided. All opinions are independently my own.
I'll be completely honest with you. My husband and I RARELY go away heck, we don't even have date nights. Between my babysitter trust issues and not wanting to ask my mom who already does SO much for the kids, it never happens. Last weekend though, I got a unicorn chance to actually leave the state with my husband. We went to the Mount Airy Resort and Casino.
Spoiler Alert: It was amazing.
We arrived on Saturday morning, we were booked for Friday night but there was no way we could get coverage for two nights. The bus ride out of the city was quick and painless–only 2 hours. When we arrived I was completely blown away by how gorg the lobby was. It was so relaxing and inviting, and it finally me–I was away with my husband! The first time since the Princess Half in 2014.
We were super hungry after the travel so we went upstairs to freshen up and grab some food. The room was really pretty, had a keurig, a stand up shower with a private bathroom, plus a gorgeous view, especially for this city girl who is used to seeing buildings all day long.
We decided to start at Guy Fieri's restaurant because the menu looks pretty crazy. We knew our bellies would be happy and we were not wrong.
We started with the nachos topped with rib eye steak and honestly it was the best nachos I've ever had. First of all it was HUGE and we totally could have stopped there (we didn't). Hubby got a prime rib sandwich and I got a burger. We definitely didn't finish, but we were happily in a food coma.
Later on that night, we headed over to Bistecc, a fancy Italian Steakhouse. Hubby and I were treated like royalty from start to finish. The service was outstanding, instead of having just one waiter, we had 3! They rotated often and check in on us non stop. The food, well, I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.
Afterwards, we hit the casino. I am NOT a big gambler, like at all. The most that I will gamble is $20. Anything more hurts my heart. Can you believe I won $205?! I cashed out immediately!
The next morning I was so excited to get up and go to my courtesy spa treatment. I chose the hot and cold stone treatment even though I was completely intimidated and scared. I have always only had traditional massages so this was brand new for me!
The spa was completely zen and gorgeous. I felt like I was in good hands. My massage started promptly at 9am and it.was.glorious. My masseuse alternated between using ice cold stones and really hot stones to massage all the tension out of my muscles. She mentioned how tense I was (surprise, surprise) and honestly I felt like a new person when she was done. I need to treat myself to this at LEAST once a month. Totally worth it.
Right after my husband came to meet me so we could get some swim time before we left. The pool was just the perfect temperature and also a really cool place to hang out. The pool actually goes from indoor to outdoor, has beautiful views and even cabanas where you can hang out and watch the game!
Finally before we left, we got to check out the buffet brunch and oh my goodness. We weren't ready. Seriously. There was SO much food! It was literally the best of both worlds, there was a FULL lunch menu and a FULL breakfast menu and basically everything in between.
It was a fantastic weekend getaway for couples, there was other great amenities like a fantastic gift shop, a noodle bar, a candy shop, a golf course, fitness center and so many places around the resort to simply relax. If you need a quick (or long!) getaway this is your place. Thank you so much to the Mount Airy Resort for hosting my husband and I.
Do you gamble hard at the casino? When was the last time you had a solo getaway with your spouse? Where did you go? Have you ever had a hot stone massage?
Holy WOW! I had no clue this place even existed. What an amazing getaway for you and your husband. I seriously cannot believe you have not been away alone together in over two years!!! Also – you look stunning in that suit!!
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That looks fabulous. I've actually been there with my parents when I was about 10 years old. To this day, my parents still pick on me for eating only bread and butter the whole time when there were so many other food choices available. Yes, I was a very picky eater as a kid. I'd love to go back now and have more than just bread.
What a great thing for you and the hubby. I hear you about babysitter trust and asking the parents…the struggle is real!
This place looks fab!! I was thinking od somewhere for the hubby and I to spend our 10 yr anniversary. …this could be an option.
I love hot stone massages!
You in that dress!! Also, congrats on winning money! I never gamble either so when I do, it counts.
This is near where my parent's live, so it's a feasible vacation for us. We'd just drop the kids off over the border of Route 80 and get ourselves to the Poconos. 20 minute car ride to bliss!
And yeah, the brunch buffet has to happen immediately. I'll be there next week!
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First off, I LOVE that bathing suit. You make it look amazing. Also looks like a gorgeous resort, and I'm so glad you got to have some special time with your husband. I know just how it feels to not have reliable care for the kids!


Luke Evans has expressed interest in a return to the Fast and Furious franchise, either in the ninth installment or the spinoff for his character's brother. Evans played Owen Shaw, the villain of Fast 6, who spent Furious 7 in hospital and made his full return in eighth entry The Fate of the Furious, this time helping out Dom and his family.
The future of the franchise is looking massive. There are two more planned entries left in the main run, with Fast 9 now set for a 2020 release date. Before that (somewhat controversially) will be the spinoff for Dwayne Johnson's Luke Hobbs and Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw, while off-screen the series' live show begins in early 2018.
As the brother of Deckard Shaw, it would be very easy for Owen to turn up in the spinoff, especially as a counterpoint to the central duo's heated bromance. And, now he's somewhat on the good guy's team, there's scope for a part in the massive ensemble of the main series as well. Both projects are in too early stages for Evans to comment on fully, but it's clear that's he's game should the offer come.
It's gratifying to see his continued enthusiasm for the franchise, telling an anecdote that highlights his admiration of the fans and hints at the motivation for a return. Indeed, everyone involved with Fast and Furious is repeatedly grateful to the series' massive, loyal fanbase that only seems to grow louder with each installment (especially Vin Diesel).
Were Owen to return in any way, however, there would need to be the addressing of him switching sides. This was a major point of controversy in Fate, where Deckard was welcomed into the fold despite killing Han just a movie before. While Owen didn't do anything quite that bad, he did still pose a massive threat and greatly messed with Dom and Letty's relationship – saving Toretto's child may not be enough to make up for that immediately.
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Perhaps the most readable and accessible of the great works of the scientific imagination, The Origin of Species sold out on the day it was published in 1859. Theologians quickly labeled Charles Darwin the most dangerous man in England, and, as the Saturday Review noted, the uproar over the book quickly 'passed beyond the bounds of the study and lecture-room into the drawing-room and the public street.' Yet after reading it, Darwin's friend and colleague T. H. Huxley had a different reaction: 'How extremely stupid not to have thought of that.' Based largely on Darwin's experience as a naturalist while on a five-year voyage aboard the H.M.S. Beagle, The Origin of Species set forth a theory of evolution and natural selection that challenged contemporary beliefs about divine providence and the immutability of species. A landmark contribution to philosophical and scientific thought, the book has fresh application today for its pioneering views on the ecology of plants and animals. This edition also includes an introductory historical sketch and a glossary Darwin later added to the original text.
A landmark in science writing.
A well-written, well-argued treatise on the volatile subject of the evolution of new species by natural selection. At the time, this flew in the face of accepted theories, and especially upset current theological doctrine, Archbishop Ussher would be particularly upset!.
Darwin agonised for years over the publication of his book, and it was only at the urging of his friends (that he was about to be upstaged by Wallace) that he finally published. The delay was of his own making - torn between the evidence of his notes and correspondence with Wallace, and the furore that would inevitably result. The furore was bound to happen anyway, surrounded as he was by small-minded [people], so he should have published earlier. But ... this might have deprived us of the brilliant arguments he puts forth in support of each section in the book.
He obviously knew what he was up against, so he tried to present his case as lucidly as possible - and here's the unusual aspect of the work - in layman's language! This was almost unheard of in a Victorian Scientific treatise - they were meant to be read by Scientists, not the hoy-poloy! He tries to counter every conceivable objection to each statement, as nicely (in both senses of the word) as possible, without any of the fervour and tunnel vision that one expects from a convert to a new ideal. He takes us by the hand and gently walks us through the evidence in support of his theory, helping us to realise that, yes, he is talking sense, no matter what our pre-conceptions of life might be.
Discover for yourself that evolution is not 'survival of the fittest', but 'survival of the most fit' - that is, fitted for that particular ecological niche - fittest being a Victorian word that has taken a different modern meaning.
On the Origin of Species is perhaps the best known (but least understood) book of the modern age. I say least understood, because Darwin advances several theories (all relating to) evolution. It is a fascinating read, and a marvelous experience to "peek" into the mind of a genius.
First, Darwin's theories are about natural selection, adaptation, extinction, species variation, and significantly, a common ancestor - all of which are a part of the bigger picture, that all life has evolved and is continuing to evolve. His evidence is overwhelming (it had to be in order to advance such radical ideas) and, for lack of a better word, brilliant.
Much has been made about religion and evolution - which is why I mentioned that his theories are not well understood. At no point is God (or a Supreme Being, or whatever you want to call it) mentioned, let alone removed from Darwin's theory (regardless of how you feel about the matter.) Yet it is these theories that have laid the ground work for entire disciplines of science, and which has revolutionized science as a whole.
1) Which name is most closely associated with the theory of evolution?
2) Which book did this person write on evolution?
3) What claims are made in that book?
4) What else is contained in that book?
With astonishing regularity, the average literate adult will respond as follows: 1) Darwin, 2) Origin of Species, 3) Humans descended from apes, and 4) I have no idea. The first two are correct, the third is absolutely false, and the fourth is an admission of complete ignorance. Considering that "Origin of Species" is over 600 pages long, and took nearly two decades to write, one would expect it to contain something more than the four simple words "Humans descended from apes," which, in fact, it neither contains nor implies. So, what DOES it contain? There is one word that best summarizes the bulk of Darwin's magnum opus: "observation".
It is a lengthy book; at times it is tedious, at times politically incorrect, and at times scientifically off-base. But, despite its numerous flaws, it is one of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind. Even if you are among the few who refuse to accept Darwin's ideas, you cannot deny their impact. The theory is the cornerstone--if not the very foundation--of modern biology. Whatever your preconceptions, you will likely be surprised by this work. Darwin was the consummate naturalist and scientist, as well as a refined and articulate gentleman. "Origin" is a delight and an epiphany to read. It's amazing how much Darwin got right, despite the fact that he had essentially no idea of how inheritance worked. It's amazing how much data Darwin carefully assembled, analyzed, and described. It's amazing how meticulously Darwin weighed the evidence, noting when competing theories made different predictions, when the available evidence was not what he would have expected, and what future evidence could completely discredit (falsify) his theory. It's amazing in its honesty.