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Review: Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood
Stone Mattress: Nine Tales (2014) by Margaret Atwood
To give you some context, the only other Atwood book I've read so far is The Handmaid's Tale, which was very smart and very creepy. I plan to read her Maddaddam trilogy soon.
As in The Handmaid's Tale, the narrative voice in Stone Mattress is, at times, confident, witty, and cutting.
Which I loved.
Of the nine tales, several stood out because of their unusual subject matter, by which I mean, issues that I personally haven't come across often in works of literary fiction: the problems and complications associated with aging, writers' relationships with zealous fans, and the conflict between a novel/poem and academic interpretations.
All of these issues surface in the first three stories of the collection--"Alphinland," "Revenant," and "Dark Lady"--which together explore the regrets and desires of now elderly writers and artists who were once closely connected. In each tale, Atwood brings up the issues of literary legacy, interpretation, and fandom. As Gavin (the poet) toys with a grad student who has come to gush over his work, he finds out that his first love, Constance, is now considered a major voice in fantasy fiction (he never took her seriously). Throw into the mix Gavin's current wife, and Jorie (one of his former girlfriends), and you have interconnected stories about the disconnect between physical and emotional age. Each of these characters remembers things that happened in the '60s as if they happened yesterday, and they look back both fondly and ironically on their early literary pursuits. They've aged, and they're tired and worn-down, but cling tenaciously to their current world.
In this same vein, Atwood gives us "Torching the Dusties," the last story, in which an upscale retirement home is attacked by younger people resentful of the elderly. Their movement, "Our Time," aims to eliminate the elderly, and thus their consumption of food and medical resources. It's chilling and reminiscent of the brutality and single-mindedness depicted in The Handmaid's Tale.
"The Dead Hand Loves You" and "Stone Mattress," too, evoke the frustration mixed with new-found confidence that stalk the main characters, holding onto old grudges and seeking vengeance for past wrongs.
Atwood's send-up of academia in "Revenant" and "The Dead Hand Loves You" particularly caught my attention, being an ex-academic myself. Her snarky descriptions of how some literary critics take a writer's words and then warp and twist them into unrecognizable shapes squares with my own misgivings about the lengths to which we take interpretation. Critical analysis is, of course, an important tool in understanding any kind of discourse, but even that can be taken to extremes. Only Atwood (in my reading experience) has raised this issue in fiction.
The stories of Stone Mattress were strange, unexpected, and fantastic. Highly recommended. But then, of course- it's Margaret Atwood.
Labels: literary fiction, Margaret Atwood, review
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Do you remember the first long-ish story you wrote?
Oh yeah. Untitled first crappy "novel" that was nowhere near novel length in reality. I was 12, and I thought it was great until I finished my next book. But it was okay! I could try again! It was about a bookworm who signed up to tutor an ex-"bad boy" after school who wanted to change his ways. LOL! They fell in love. My character was 14, I think. Oh, the horror!! I have no idea why I went from writing horror-laced and fantastical short stories to contemporary teeny bopper romance, but it didn't last long!
How many novels have you written? They're mostly fantasy, right?
Um…I think I'm on number 16. I count them all even though half of them are novella length. I thought I was writing a novel, so it counts. But yep, except for that first horrible attempt, all of them are fantasy or supernaturally charged horror.
What is it about fantasy that you find so fascinating?
Ooh, good question! I think it's because I really, really like the thought of magic powers. Growing up in the middle, we often suffer from the often laughed at – but VERY real – middle child syndrome! I was kind of naturally drawn to anything that looked like it gave people a sense of control over their lives. I also really liked scaring myself as a kid. I used to sneak downstairs and play this Haunted Graveyard record that my parents would blast on Halloween. I think I was like five.
Hmm…this is hard…I don't remember if it was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe or this book called Into the Land of the Unicorns. I have a much better memory of what happened in the unicorn book before I read the entire Chronicles of Narnia in college. That kind of makes me think Narnia was first, but they're both portal fantasies, so who knows.
What's your favorite folktale or fairytale? Why do you like it so much?
Ooh!! It's really hard to pick one, but hands down, I have to go with "Twelve Dancing Princesses!" There's just something so rich and lavish and mysterious and supernatural and almost frightening and sinister at times about that story. Maybe I just read too much into it, but every time I read my fairy tale book (well, the ones with that story in it), I never ever skip it. And every time I read it, there's something in there that I don't remember reading before! It's fantastic!
I know you have a revision and resubmit going on. How did that come about?
I queried this particular agent at the tail end of July and got a partial request in mid-September. That was upgraded to a full in mid-November and the R&R came in at the end of February. So when they say you have to be patient, it's an understatement! This was my seventh time in the query trenches. The biggest relief is that the agent really likes my plot and the main characters in general!
And how is the R&R going?
The biggest change I'm making is with one of the side characters. She [the agent] pointed out some inconsistencies. It requires retooling of dialogue, thoughts, and actions throughout. I'm worried that I'm not making enough changes, because it seems like this revision is requiring me to make a lot of tiny changes throughout, but I feel pretty good about my approach. Of course, I still feel good about the draft in general, so I don't know if that's saying anything. I have a lot of internal and external dialogue changes, but my main focus is on clarifying and defining. It's kind of like taking a tiny chisel to a statue that already looks like it's done. Which is why I'm like, "Is she even going to be able to tell I did anything?" But I figure if nothing else, it will at least be a stronger version of what I already have, which is what I think I'm supposed to be going for.
I'm still outlining my supernatural horror: Painted Chaos.
You know what, I LOVE sunflowers! I always stop to soak them up when I see them. They're so gigantic, and they look so majestic and happy. I call them "happy" flowers.
Thank you so much for letting me pick your brain, Krystal!
Thanks for doing it, Krystal! I think either Karla or Michelle T. may be next, but we'll have to see who else I can get to come on here as I go on.
Such a neat interview! Glad I got to know more interesting things about you Krystal. Good luck with that R&R! I'm rooting for ya!
She was very accommodating with all her answers! But, you know, I think new writers could learn about R&Rs (and persistence) from Krystal and this interview.
Aw, thanks. We wanted it to be fun!
So far, I've even really liked some of the retellings of "Twelve Dancing Princesses" that I've read.
Oh, I've never read "Twelve Dancing Princesses" but now I want to!
I can't believe (well, yes I can!) you've created so many worlds!
OMG, go read it NOW!!! I'll wait. Lol!
It was....interesting. I liked it all except the end :/ lol.


Walden by noted transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, is a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings. The work is part personal declaration of independence, social experiment, voyage of spiritual discovery, satire, and manual for self-reliance. First published in 1854, it details Thoreau's experiences over the course of two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built near Walden Pond, amidst woodland owned by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, near Concord, Massachusetts. The book compresses the time into a single calendar year and uses passages of four seasons to symbolize human development.By immersing himself in nature, Thoreau hoped to gain a more objective understanding of society through personal introspection. Simple living and self-sufficiency were Thoreau's other goals, and the whole project was inspired by transcendentalist philosophy, a central theme of the American Romantic Period. As Thoreau made clear in his book, his cabin was not in wilderness but at the edge of town, about two miles (3 km) from his family home.
Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, and philosopher, who is best known for his works Waldena treatise about living in concert with the natural worldand Civil Disobedience, in which he espoused the need to morally resist the actions of an unjust state. Thoreau s work heavily reflects the ideologies of the American transcendentalists, and he has long been considered a leading figure in the movement along with Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bronson Alcott, and, at first, Nathaniel Hawthorne (who changed his views later in life). In addition to his writing, which totaled more than twenty volumes, Thoreau was an active abolitionist, and lectured regularly against the Fugitive Slave Law. Thoreau died in 1862, and is buried along with Louisa May Alcott, Ellery Channing, and other notable Americans in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts.
5.0 out of 5 starsWalden, the Kindle version.
I first read "Walden" in a freshmen seminar course in American Lit, and it was quite daunting reading at the time. Thoreau seemed an over-rated author: he darts from topic to topic with little to no transition, he quotes obscure passages, he sermonizes. And perhaps most frustrating of all, he wants his writing to be ambiguous (see for instance, Chapter 18), and for an assiduous college student eager to absorb and analyze, this can be quite an overwhelming experience. So, I got very little of Thoreau at the time.
Ten year's later, I decide that I would pick "Walden" up again. I told myself that I would stop whenever the reading became too discursive or abstract... And I did not stop until I reached the end!
As any student of early American lit. knows, Thoreau built a small house for himself in the woods of Walden Pond in Concord, MA, where he lived for two years (1845-1847), documenting his experiences living there in "Walden." He hoed beans for a living, lived a mile from his nearest neighbor and survived on the absolute minimum that he could. In his downtime, he would swim, fish, read and take in his surroundings, describing every sight and sound with the utmost care. Thoreau creates for his reader an unforgettable Nature-observing experience with such richness of detail that we feel we are right there with him. We hear the owl's cry, we witness the loon diving into the pond and the two ants going head-to-head in battle, we see the blue of Walden Pond. He is a student of Nature of the highest order and extracts from each of these experiences a parable about humanity: what we lack and how we can be free. For Thoreau, Walden Pond is a place of purity, an oasis, an Eastern paradise on earth, a Ganges.
Thoreau's prose is also rather unique. What one must remember is that he is faithful student of Emerson and like Emerson, his paragraphs often contain non sequiturs, digressions and sometimes outright contradictions. It was perhaps this lack of logical linearity that initially kept from enjoying his work as a college student. We must be indulgent with Thoreau: his wit, his aphorisms, his acumen are well worth the sometimes uncomfortable task of deciphering his prose. I am very glad that at nearly the same age as Thoreau, I took a journey to Walden Pond with him.
5.0 out of 5 starsA beautiful and inspiring book.
It was a wonderful experience to actually feel like I was there with Thoreau at Walden Pond. The way he studied and described simply living and the appreciation of nature fits right into my values. I loved having insight to a life that took place so many years ago through his eyes, and with his mind and heart. He expresses his beliefs about life and society so eloquently. At times he goes into great detail in his observations, but then masterfully makes a valid point that is truly inspiring. This is a book that really makes you think about the purpose of our existence in this world, our values, and how we should live.
Review of ANNOTATED EDITION, not of Thoreau's work. Potentially great idea. Many of the annotations were superficial or unnecessary, although others helpful. Biggest problem with this is the printer's layout, which has two careless oversights: size and position on page. Two pages of text have been squeezed onto a single page (to allow the side-by-side commentary), resulting in tiny print. Tough on anyone over 40. Then, the printer left wide margins on the *outside* of the page, and squeezed Thoreau's text into the binding. Really foolish use of the available space.
The result is something that could have been fascinating being just plain awkward and unsatisfying to handle and read.
5.0 out of 5 starsA brilliant classic by a brilliant man.
One of my favorite books by Henry David Thoreau. The illustrations add to it nicely and the cover and binding seem well made. This book is excellent for anyone who loves the idea of escaping from society and finding yourself. It serves as a reminder that as modern society advances, we become almost less human, going about the motions rather than living and experiencing all that life and nature has to offer. Great book for any avid nature lover.


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New Ritual: Reunification of Life
It's almost October and naturally, my thoughts turn to vampires.
A while back, many years now, I had a player who played a ranger (back in 2nd ed). This ranger was later killed and turned into a vampire by no less than Strahd von Zarovich himself. I thought that was the end of the character (the player had left school by then). Years later I brought the character in as an NPC vampire. I wanted a vampire that had a backstory and some history as a human first.
At some point though near the end of my 3rd Edition game, I thought about bringing back this character as a recurring NPC. Then something interesting happened. I got in contact with the original player via the then new thing called Facebook and I changed my mind. I want to bring her back as a human now.
This got me started on an idea for a MacGuffin to bring a vampire back to full life. We have seen things like this before in media. I know it happened on "Angel" and I am pretty sure it happened on "True Blood" and in other shows. The one thing though they have all had in common is that to make it happen requires something really, really special. Yes at this point someone will say "but what about 'Near Dark'?" well, I liked Near Dark, but that was the biggest problem I had with the movie. It turned vampirism into a blood disease, and not even a very powerful one. Plus don't you think if a blood transfusion could have fixed it then others would have done it already?
Also at this point, someone might bring up the spells "Raise Dead" or "True Resurrection". We always ruled that these spells would kill any undead creature. Clerics are known for two things in most editions of D&D; healing and turning undead. Both are power investitures by divine agents. So the ultimate expression of that power, the ability to bring the dead back to life, would follow the same logic and cause harm to the undead. Plus in my games, we house ruled that it could not bring the dead back from undeath. Vampirism is also a curse.
Now depending on your point of view the victim of vampirism has either lost their soul (the "Buffy" vampires) or their soul is trapped in their vampire bodies (the "Dracula" or "White Wolf" vampires). Either way, the soul of the person is in peril. (Consequently, this is also why I don't let Elves become vampires in my game; they have spirits, but not souls. Dark elves have connections to demons that allow them to become vampires.)
For this spell, I knew I wanted it to be difficult. So only the highest level spellcasters could cast it. I wanted it to be the magical equivalent of brain surgery. So like surgery, it is not performed alone.
I also knew I wanted "three" to be a part of it. Three is a magic number. Mind, Body, and Soul. Three types of magic; Arcane, Divine, and Occult/Witchcraft. And in many of my games three principal types of spellcasters.
Also known as "The Glorious Ritual of Reunification of Life, Soul, and Body by means Divine, Arcane, and Occult", but more commonly known as "Reunification of Life".
Reunification of Life
Level: Witch Ritual 8 (Magic-User 9, Cleric 7)
Ritual Requirements: At least 3 spellcasters; A witch, wizard, and cleric.
Range: One Vampire
Duration: Permanent
This ritual is a rare one, not just in terms of its availability, but also in its nature. The ritual is known to be part of the Malificus Necrologium (aka "The Book of Dead Witches ('dead witch names')"). Included in the ritual are the invocations needed to be made a witch, the evocations needed by a wizard and the prayers required of the cleric. The ritual only details the means to restore a willing vampire to life, not an unwilling one.
As part of the ritual, the vampire must not partake in blood for three days prior to the ritual. This begins during the last nights of the new moon. In many cases, this will make the vampire difficult to control. On the first night of the waxing crescent, the vampire must take a ritual bath in purified (but not sanctified) water. Preferably this is from a natural spring. If the water is warmed from the earth, this is better.
On that night at Midnight, the ritual begins.
The vampire, wearing only a simple white linen robe lays on a simple wooden altar within a Thaumaturgic Triangle. The points of the triangle face east, south and west in a deosil or sunwise orientation. The cleric must stand at the East and begin their prayer. The wizard must stand at the south and begin their casting. The witch stands at the west and begins her spell.
During the course of the night (6 hours of constant casting) the casters will respectively summon up Air to represent the Soul, Fire to represent the Life, and Earth to represent the renewal of Body.
During the night agents of evil will attempt to stop the ritual as the loss of a vampire is a great blow to the forces of the night. For this reason, the ritual also suggests an outer circle of non-casters (referred to as "Cowans") to keep the evil at bay so the casting can continue uninterrupted.
If all goes well the spell end right before dawn as the light of a new day shines on the former vampire for the first time.
Many witches have noted that the optimal time for this spell is during the Summer solstice.
Alterations to ritual have been recorded.
At least one attempt was made on a mummy, but the spell failed. It was speculated that this was due to lack of internal organs, or due to the different relationship, the mummy has with the negative material plane or even the age of the mummy.
A spectre was successfully returned to life, but only after a Remove Curse had been cast on it.
The spell has not been tried on a lich since no lich has volunteered to be returned to life of their own free will.
In other cases, a druid was used instead of a cleric and a necromancer instead of a wizard. Both times met with success, though some sages doubt these are accurate claims.
Most of these claims are difficult to ascertain due to most copies of this ritual are currently missing.
This ritual should not be something that the PCs have easy access to. Nor should it be something they hear a rumor about and then pop over to a forgotten library to get. There should be an epic quest to retrive the book (or books! maybe it was split into three by the forces of evil). This needs to be epic quest, "season finale" stuff.
Posted by Timothy S. Brannan at 10:50 AM
Labels: spells, vampire, witch
This is fantastic, Tim! Then again if it's vampire or witch related, I always expect the best when you post.
Timothy S. Brannan said...
40+ years of obsession should pay off sometimes.
I've never seen Angel and I stopped watching True Blood after a couple-three seasons, but I remember the blood transfusion in Near Dark and thought it was a little anticlimactic. Of course, for a vampire film Near Dark (a favorite of mine) is the horror equivalent of "street level supers."
I played Vampire the Masquerade for a number of years and I could never get players to buy-in to the whole "search for a cure" storyline. No one was interested in playing the chest-beating, bloody-teared character cursing and weeping over his/her fate. Instead, their interest in the game was either A) reveling in their powers and vampiric "badness" (anti-hero supers), or B) Machiavellian power struggles in the "World of Darkness."
But I suppose D&D isn't VtM (duh), and I can see some vampiric PCs wanting to return to life...though wouldn't a Wish spell do the trick? I know that's a cheap way out (I like fancy-shmancy rituals myself), but it would seem that if you're going to research a 9th level MU spell to save your undead buddy, isn't Wish more "utilitarian" than this difficult ritual? Perhaps the exceptional complexity should allow the spell to be cast at a lower level of experience? In a way, it's just a super-up version of raise dead (5th) combined with remove curse (4th)...to me, that suggests a 7th level spell (or even 6th, given the specific nature and uncertain success chance of the ritual).
Mmm...I could do a whole week of vampire posts; maybe that should be my October blog theme.
Tim Emrick said...
This spell would be a great candidate for the invocation rules in the 3.5 Unearthed Arcana, or the occult ritual rules in Occult Adventures (Pathfinder) which are based on them. Add in some difficult requirements (casters of three different "traditions," rare and expensive components, etc.) and the risk of magical backfire if the spell fails, and you end up with a lot of fun strings to pull to make it a truly memorable challenge to complete the ritual.
The Buffy/Angel game I played in years ago made use of the vampire restoration spell a few times, but our GM always made sure that it was a suitably dramatic and harrowing experience for all involved. After all, you have to stake the vamp if she's not already destroyed, and it takes a lot of less-lucky vamps to fuel the ritual. (After the "undead rights" movement went public, it became next to impossible to arrange that second part without word getting around...)
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Dave McIntyre's WineLine: Yay, Spain!
Okay, I'll admit it - I was rooting for Spain in Sunday's World Cup final. Not that I had a dog in this fight, but when it comes down to a wine country versus a beer country, well, I know where my allegiance lies. So yes, I was happy with the result.
I was even happier with the wines I chose to enjoy while watching the match and celebrating the result.
Tierra de Fernandez Gomez, 2009 Rioja Rosado, (Elite Wines of Lorton, Va., sample, $NA but probably not expensive) - crisp and refreshing strawberry and watermelon flavors. This wine is produced by Agricola la Bastida, which makes some tremendous wines that are setting the stage for Rioja's next wave.
Almira, Los Dos, Grenache + Syrah, "Old Vines" 2008, (Winebow, sample, $NA but probably not expensive). This wine from Campo de Borja, Spain's trendy new cheap wine factory, is juicy and spicy and oh so nice for an inexpensive red. Though I rather wish the marketers had let the winery call the wine Garnacha + Syrah, because consumers are smart enough to realize Spain might have a different name for the grape than France does. Not to mention a different expression of the grape, something rather ..... Spanish?
Luna Beberide, "Finca la Cuesta," 2008, Bierzo, (Grapes of Spain, sample, $22). I LOVE this Bierzo producer, which offers a range of wines that shine for quality to price ratio in a region of northwestern Spain that is only now getting some cachet. This wine is a little awkward at first, but it opens nicely - and quite quickly - to sumptuous black fruit (cherries and plums), under a pronounced though not overwhelming oak treatment.


Rick Anderson has written a great introduction to ASP.NET Bundling and Minification at here. In addition to the options presented by Rick, there are some other features in System.Web.Optimization framework which is also important for developers to understand in order to make thier application performance and architecture good. In this article, I will show you some of the advance stuff of ASP.NET Bundling and Minification.
Server.MapPath is one of the most used method in ASP.NET. Lot of libraries/assemblies has used this method. The problem of using this method inside a library is that it will tie the users of this library with ASP.NET intrinsic Server object which makes unit testing a little difficult. Fortunately, System.Web.Optimization have a special property called BundleTable.MapPathMethod which allows users to provide a fake method for unit testing.
You can easily override this by using BundleCollection.IgnoreList property in BundleConfig.cs file. Note: it is also important that you should be aware about a bug in the implementation of this.
For clearing all these settings, you just need to call BundleCollection.ResetAll method. This method will clear all the above lists and empty the registered bundles.
The System.Web.Optimization framework also allows you to define a custom orderer for a bundle. You just need to implement the IBundleOrderer.OrderFiles method in a new class and set the Bundle.Orderer property. Here is an example.
In this article, I showed you some of the advanced options of System.Web.Optimization framework. Hopefully you will enjoy my this article too.
We've been into this last week at domlia.com. Thanks for the examples.
Imran i like your blog but tell where from you learn these things....?
@Aamir, http://asp.net/learn is a great resource for getting started.
Given the comparative lack of documentation for this feature, having a page like this is very useful - I'd love to see more info like this.
One shortcoming I have noticed is that I am unable to set the 'media' attribute on CSS bundles. This prevents us from building a bundle for screen and another bundle for print. In the context of building bundles for stylesheets there aren't many options which need to be catered for, but for the work I do this attribute really is required.


Jackson is a fantastic Border Collie mix who came to us just after being adopted by his owner Alex. He is incredibly smart and a true pleasure to be with every day! He has grown so much over the past month, and is becoming a perfect gentleman! I have been working with Jackson during the week, and with his owner on the weekends. I am very proud of both Alex and Jackson for putting in the time and effort required to raise a wonderful, obedient and pleasant dog both with humans and other furry friends. It is truly my pleasure to have Jackson in my pack!


Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) has a long and successful history of innovation in medical packaging, medical devices, and pharmaceutical applications. In fact, EVA has been an innovative force in those applications for over 35 years and continues its innovation legacy through enablement of solutions in areas of ever increasing challenges. New solutions are required for continually improving patient healthcare. This paper will examine the evolutionary role of EVA innovation in diverse applications ranging from its early use in parenteral applications for delivery of life saving medications to cryogenic storage bags for stem cells used in the emerging field of cell therapy to controlled release of small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and finally as an innovative gastroretentive delivery vehicle for controlled release of large molecule therapeutics for the high growth field of biologics and personalized medicine. It is the simplicity of the molecular architecture of EVA which leads to its ability to create innovative solutions to some of healthcare's most challenging and complex problems. Case studies will provide an illustration of each of these applications.
We are living at a time when healthcare is undergoing exciting new developments and innovations. The medical device industry and the pharmaceutical industry are developing innovative products which provide for better patient care and improved quality of life. Also, and of no surprise, the two industries have applications in common as well as areas of uniqueness. For example, an intravenous (IV) bag containing drugs illustrates where a medical device and pharmaceutical product work together in support of patient needs. For an application where a medical device and a pharma product work independent of one another, one may consider a sleep apnea device versus a tablet containing an API. Here, the sleep apnea device does not contain a pharma product and the tablet (pharma product) is not part of a medical device.


Welcome to Small Spaces Storage, your place for storage units in Fleetwood, PA. This self storage facility is for all the businesses and local communities in the area. Our location on Hoch Rd, just off Park Rd and minutes away from US-222, can be reached in minutes from your office in Fleetwood, your home in Blandon, or your summer place in Berks County. Our location makes us an easy solution; our expertise and commitment to customer service make us the right solution for your moving, shipping, and storage needs.


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History of the American wilderness movement at this week's IRP - University College
History of the American wilderness movement at this week's IRP
Thomas Welch, professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University, will present "Exploitation, Exploration and Expeditioning: Three Men, Their Mountains and the Birth of the American Wilderness Movement" at the May 19 session of the Institute for Retired Professionals (IRP).
Welch will discuss the history of the American wilderness movement through three New Yorkers in the Adirondacks—David Henderson, Verplank Colvin and Bob Marshall. Marshall is a graduate of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and the person after whom Marshall Square is named.
Welch received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and his medical degree from McGill University in Montreal. He attended the University of Colorado in Denver for his residency in pediatrics and training in pediatric nephrology.
After a few years practicing as a general pediatrician in upstate New York, Welch returned to academia to complete his training in pediatric nephrology at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse. He then moved to Cincinnati to become assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati, and a staff pediatric nephrologist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
In 2001, Welch returned to New York to become professor and chair of pediatrics at the SUNY Upstate, where he has grown the department substantially, and led the effort at building the Upstate Golisano Children's hospital.
Welch also has a "second career" in outdoor education. He is a licensed professional guide, and regularly guides groups on backcountry treks in areas as diverse as the New York Adirondacks, Montana and Alaska. He is on the national advisory board of the Wilderness Education Association, and is a certifying instructor for that organization. He regularly teaches wilderness skills courses through the Denali Education Center, a not-for-profit educational program in Alaska.
IRP, established by University College of Syracuse University, provides opportunities for retired people to stay intellectually active, to expand interests and make new acquaintances. Presentations are made by SU faculty and specialists within the community.
For more information on this program, call University College of Syracuse University at (315) 443-4846, or visit http://www.yesu.syr.edu/IRP.


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Drachten () is a town in the northern Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Smallingerland, Friesland. It had a population of around 45,186 in January 2017 and is the second largest town in the province of Friesland.

History

Beginnings

Drachten began as a small community on the east side of the Drait (or Dracht) river. There, early settlers started draining the land to use it for agriculture. As the process of draining progressed, residents began to move further eastward in order to use the drained land—former peatbogs—for agriculture.

Around 1200 A.D., a small stone church was built. It was used for 200 years afterward, until rising waters drove people even further east.

By 1550 the Dutch peat reserve had been exhausted. Peat had become an important source of energy, not only for private households but also for the industry. The need in the rapidly growing province of Holland during the 17th century was higher than Friesland could supply. Most of the transport was over water, therefore often by track boat. Peat exploitation meant a welcome activity for many villages, although most of the income did not flow into the pockets of the struggling peat cutters. In 1641 A.D. farmers in Drachten North and Drachten South entered into an agreement with wealthy residents of The Hague, the 'Drachten Associates'. One of these moneylenders was businessman Passchier Hendriks Bolleman from The Hague. The agreement stipulated that peat cut in Smallingerland was designated for the Holland industry. For transport by boat the Drachtster Compagnonsvaart canal and two side channels had to be constructed. During one year 800 workers had been digging every day. And where people spent their days, other developments followed, such as dwellings, places for storage, hostels and businesses. Although the economic success of cutting peat was short-lived (it even led to Passchier Bolleman's financial ruin), it spurred on to the foundation of Drachten.

The Drachtstervaart brought in ships and the ships brought in not only return freight, but also their own service industry: rope-yards, carpenter's yards and forges. In 1746 the first real shipyard was established on the Langewijk, initially only for the construction of timber flatboats, but after 1895 also for iron hull ships. In 1902 a second shipyard followed on the Drachtstervaart.

Drachten grows
Along the side of the canal, pubs, shops, shipbuilding facilities, and public utilities, such as a rope-walk, were built. Around 1830, a town hall was built, and a notary public moved from nearby Oudega to Drachten.

The peat industry of Drachten lasted for 200 years. When it ended, the poorer workers stayed behind; some became small farmers, but most of them had no success.

Accelerated growth
In the post-war period between 1950 and 1991, Drachten grew by an average of 1,000 inhabitants a year. The arrival of the Philips company was a major contributor to this growth. Today there are approximately 45,000 people living in Drachten; its major industrial production includes electrical goods, transport equipment, machinery, food, chemicals and furniture.

Geography

Drachten is situated in the municipality of Smallingerland in the east of the province of Friesland in the north of the Netherlands. Leeuwarden is  to the northwest, Groningen  northeast, and Heerenveen  southwest.

It is located along the Wijde Ee waterway, which flows into the larger Prinses Margriet Kanaal. It is surrounded by many small towns; its environment consists of lowlands with forests and peat moors, and nearby lakes.

International relations

Drachten is twinned with:

 Gobabis, Namibia
 Kiryat Ono, Israel

Culture

Art project "Water is Life"
In April 2007, artist Henk Hofstra painted a road in Drachten blue with white lettering and traffic markings. The road is called Moleneind. The lettering spells "Water is Leven" (Water is Life), meant to symbolize a prior waterway that was paved over.

The part of this water that was situated in the centre of Drachten, was closed in the sixties of the last century, in order to stimulate the local economy and give space to the increased road traffic. Now the centre of the town was no longer reachable by boat.

In 1996 the first plans were made to recreate the water way into the heart of the town so water tourists will come back to Drachten and visit the centre by boat; it is called the "Drachtstervaart" project. The reconstruction of the area started in 2001 and was supposed to last until 2011.  Due to the economical crisis, the construction was stopped for about two years.

The construction on the water way continued in 2013, and it has since been completed.

Infrastructure

Drachten is not served by the Dutch railway system but it is situated next to the A7 motorway. Its extensive bus system connects it to Leeuwarden, Groningen, Heerenveen, and other centres.

Traffic experiment
Drachten received international attention for a traffic experiment known as shared space, a concept pioneered by Hans Monderman. Almost all traffic lights and signs have been removed in the town's centre in an effort to improve traffic safety, based on the theory that drivers pay more attention to their surroundings when they cannot rely on strict traffic rules. Previously the town's centre had an average of eight accidents per year. In the first two years after the system was introduced, yearly accidents were reduced to one.

Notable people

Douwe Amels (born 1991) track and field athlete
Herman Theodoor Colenbrander (1871-1945) historian
Tim Douwsma (born 1987) singer
Couhaib Driouech (born 2002) football player
Gerrit Hiemstra (born 1961) meteorologist and weather presenter
Henk de Jong (born 1964) football manager
Harrie Langman (1931-2016) politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD)
Bas Paternotte (born 1976) journalist and blogger
Fedde Schurer (1898-1968) journalist, poet, and politician
Jack de Vries (born 1968) political consultant and lobbyist
Sytze Wierda (1839-1911) architect and engineer

References

External links

Dragten.nl, website about historical Drachten

Populated places in Friesland
Smallingerland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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HomeWilly Suarez Maceo
Willy Suarez Maceo
December 28, 2021 December 30, 2021 Daniel Adeniji CBS Miami ( YouTube - Channel ), crime ( Criminal Justice ), Cuba ( Country ), Denver Police Department – Denver, Colorado ( Police Department ), Denver, Colorado ( United States - City ), Humanity, Lakewood Police Department - Lakewood, Colorado ( Police Department ), Law Enforcement, Law Enforcement, Life, Miami ( City - United States - Florida ), Miami Police Department ( Miami - Florida ), News Agency, Oxygen ( TV Channel ), Police, Police Department ( Police ), Spiritual, Spiritual Maturity, True Crime ( Oxygen ), Willy Suarez Maceo
A young 25 years old Miami native, Willy Suarez Maceo, is suspected of accosting homeless people in the Miami-Dade Metro Area.
In a Car
White Tee Shirt
CBS Miami
New Details In Arrest Of Suspected Serial Killer
CBS4's Joel Waldman reports Willy Saurez Maceo is being charged with murder and attempted murder.
Channel:- CBS Miami
Published:- 2021-December-23rd
Added On:- 2021-December-28th
Miami PD Arrests Willy Suarez Maceo, Who's Suspected Of Being A Serial Killer
CBS4's Joel Waldman has more on the investigations leading to the arrest.
Police Suspect Real Estate Agent of Being 'Serial Killer'
Police in Miami say they arrested a local real estate agent who they suspect is a serial killer. Willy Suarez Maceo, 25, has been charged with the premeditated attempted murder of a homeless man, but authorities say he is suspected of killing another homess man just hours later by shooting him in the head as he slept on a sidewalk. The interim police chief says Suarez is also suspected of killing another homeless person back in October. Inside Edition Digital's Mara Montalbano has more.
Channel:- Inside Edition
Published:- 2021-December-27th
Samantha J. Gross
Suspected Miami serial killer appears in court
Calling him a "suspected serial killer," authorities say a 25-year-old Miami real estate agent may be responsible for the killing of two homeless men and the shooting of a third.
The suspect, Willy Suarez Maceo, of Kendall, was charged early Friday with attempted murder for the non-fatal shooting of a homeless man near downtown Miami.
Maceo made his first appearance in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on Friday afternoon and was ordered held without bond.
The shooting happened on Tuesday night near downtown Miami. Police say Maceo, in an unprovoked attack, shot the homeless man, who was struck in the head and survived. He told police he had no idea how he'd been injured.
About two hours later, Miami's police chief said, Maceo is believed to have pulled up in a black Dodge Charger and from the car shot and killed another homeless man as he slept on the sidewalk in Wynwood, sparking an exhaustive around-the-clock investigation. In that case, Maceo has yet to be charged with the killing of Jerome Antonio Price, 56, a shooting that was captured on surveillance video.
"Homeless individuals for no reason have been brutally targeted," Miami Interim Police Chief Manuel Morales said at a press conference on Thursday night. "They felt the pain and injustice suffered at the hands of a brutal individual."
The motive for the attacks remains unknown.
Morales said sharp-eyed detectives immediately connected the two attacks. Maceo'slicense plate was visible, giving detectives a crucial lead.
According to an arrest report released on Friday, tactical robbery detectives found Maceo in his car in Kendall on Wednesday. They found his 9 mm Glock, the report said, and ballistics tests soon linked the weapon to the two shootings.
Bullet casings were also found "on the defendant's person," the report said. Records showed the gun was purchased by Maceo in January 2018, police said.
Maceo agreed to go to the Miami police department's homicide bureau for questioning, but the interview was stopped after he asked "for legal advice," according to the arrest report.
During Friday's court appearance, Assistant Public Defender Kendal Rinko told the judge that there wasn't probable cause to keep him jailed. Just because Maceo owned the gun and the car, it doesn't mean he was the one who carried out the crime, Rinko said.
"Mr. Maceo is never seen carrying out the shooting in this case, or being present in the vehicle during the shooting at issue in this case," Rinko said.
Circuit Judge Alberto Milian, however, found there was enough evidence for the charge of premeditated attempted murder. He ordered Maceo to remain behind bars, citing the "peculiar pattern" of targeting homeless people in what "appears to be execution-style" attacks.
"I conclude the defendant is a danger to the community," Milian said.
Investigators believe Maceo also may have been behind a third attack — the murder of a homeless man on Oct. 16 at 27 SE 1 St. Surveillance footage of the suspected killer, shared previously with the public, shows a man who looks exactly like Maceo. Killed in that murder was Manuel Perez, 59.
A Miami Police flier looking for the killer of a homeless man who was murdered on Oct. 16. Miami Police said Thursday they believe the man is Willy Suarez Macias.
Miami-Dade Police Chief, Morales, appealed to the public — and fellow police departments — to come forward with info on more possible victims.
"There may be other victims who suffered at the hands of this ruthless criminal," Morales said.
Miami police initially arrested Maceo Thursday about 1:30 a.m. on the 500 block of Northwest Sixth Avenue after a sergeant told him "to leave the property and refused to," according to an arrest report.
Records show Maceo, of Kendall, is a licensed real estate broker; Century 21 lists him as working in Miami, Kendall, South Miami, and Palmetto Bay.
According to his Facebook page, Maceo is from Cuba and attended Miami Sunset Senior High School.
His Facebook page is a Miami potpourri of luxury cars, bikini models, and photos of Maceo at a cryptocurrency conference in June.
His Instagram page features homes for sale across South Florida, and him posing in front of a Porsche at the Cryptocurrency Fintech Convention in 2021 and in real estate videos.
According to state records, Maceo had no previous arrests in Florida before this week. He also had a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
Suspected Serial Killer Who Allegedly Targeted Homeless Men Arrested In Florida
A Florida real estate agent has been arrested and police are accusing him of being a serial killer who targeted homeless victims.
Willy Suarez Maceo, 25, was arrested on Thursday after police tied him to one murder and one attempted murder committed earlier in the week, according to a press conference by the Miami Police Department. Police also named Maceo a suspect in the Oct. 16, 2021 murder of a third individual, prompting authorities to label Maceo as a suspected serial killer.
All three victims were homeless individuals.
Miami Interim Police Chief Manual Morales gave a timeline of events leading up to Maceo's Dec. 23 arrest. On Tuesday, a witness flagged down a police officer at around 8:00 p.m. after they found a person suffering from what initially looked like blunt force trauma.
"The investigation quickly revealed that the victim was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head," said Morales, who noted the victim was in "extreme critical condition."
Two hours later, authorities responded to a 911 call made a complainant who found an unresponsive Black male on the ground, Morales continued. The victim was dead by the time responders arrived at the scene. He, too, had sustained a gunshot wound.
The Miami Herald reported the second victim as 56-year-old Jerome Antonio Price.
"The investigation began," said Morales. "Officers quickly connected the two incidents, not only because of the short span of time between the two shootings but because both incidents involved victims that were homeless."
Investigators obtained surveillance video that captured the latter shooting. According to Morales, the suspect drove a black vehicle up to the victim, who was lying on the ground, and shot him multiple times.
Police were able to identify Maceo from the vehicle's model and license plate number.
Ballistic experts determined the same gun was used in both crimes, according to Chief Morales. When police found Maceo, he was in possession of a firearm with a matching caliber.
The gun was a 9 mm Glock purchased by Maceo in January 2018, according to police reports cited by the Miami Herald. Shell casings were also found in the defendant's possession.
After police took Maceo into custody, an investigator at the station noticed a resemblance between the suspect and a still shot of a suspect from another murder that occurred on Oct. 16, 2021, according to Morales. Morales stated the victim, who was also homeless, was "horrifically murdered."
The City of Miami Police Department published the still shot of the October murder suspect in November. According to the Herald, the victim in the case was identified as 59-year-old Manuel Perez.
"The resemblance led us to believe that there was a possible connection and this individual [Maceo] is connected," said Morales.
On Friday, Maceo was charged with one count of premeditated attempted murder, according to Miami Herald. At the press conference, Morales said Maceo would be charged at a later time for Tuesday's murder.
Maceo was ordered held without bond.
Assistant Public Defender Kendal Rinko defended Maceo at Friday's court appearance.
"Mr. Maceo is never seen carrying out the shooting in this case or being present in the vehicle during the shooting at issue in this case," said Rinko.
In denying the bond, Circuit Judge Alberto Milian cited a "peculiar pattern" of "execution-style" attacks, according to the Herald.
Chief Morales called the murders "senseless" and appealed to other law enforcement agencies to reach out if they had other cases involving a similar pattern. Anyone with information can contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
← Denver Metro, Colorado – Shooting – Monday 2021-December-27th
Purification of the Sons of Levi →


My green tower HOMEPOD: Energy consumption equals zero.
Lately there is much talk of energy performance and with John Hossu and Irene Baran and I, started a project of this fantastic scale locally and nationally. We want to transform Iasi in the most efficient city by 2021, starting with tower blocks membranes of four levels and ending with modular homes, pre-fabricated.
Entrance has dahlias with piezoelectric energy absorbing system steps. This energy is introduced into a battery for domestic consumption.
It has a basement where mushrooms are being planted that are grown and then converted into biogas which is distributed in the gas network for being used by owners and the real estate.
Easily going downstairs where we meet the strong light which is reflected from the white walls photoluminiscence, in order to reduce the need for lighting even close to midnight.
Going on the stairs up, we pass by a radiator that emits more heat at fixed interval. It is connected to light sensors on the stairwell lights in motion sensors, but now, not only illuminates but also deliver heat three seconds longer than lighting. Sharing temperature is quick, short-range unobservable. You say it was hot from before to come. Going upstairs, body temperature rises by 3 ° C and thus gives an optimum temperature.
I'm at the top floor and I get into the attic. Here we see the pipes coming out of the roof structure. They convert solar energy into thermal energy, which is then converted into electricity.
Went downstairs and all steps are pressed down, which generate electricity for internal lumination. Outside the building we see a modern glass-fronted photovoltaic east facade and to the west we see a wall dark brown hidden in insulation of 120mm with 30mm space to the old facade.
There are no balconies. It is a front right, like an office block modern leaving four downspouts that flow into freefall when it rains; water passes through an electric generator, which drains into a reservoire in the basement to cultivate mushrooms and also for utilities as domestic water.
Going back to the tower entrace, we see the door with an electric generator attached to the door, which later we learn that it is implemented at every door of the apartment.
So who wants an apartment made of crystals modular lattice (crystallum reticulatum) and which is passive in terms of energy consumption?


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Tweets by CHR_HumanRights
Competing perspective on xenophobia explored at the Centre for Human Rights
The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria hosted a dialogue on xenophobia, nationality, and equality in South Africa. The dialogue was warranted by the recent upsurge in xenophobic incidents in South Africa and other African countries. The event was part of the University of Pretoria's various initiatives to foster a culture of diversity. The dialogue explored the economic and historical perspectives of xenophobia. It further elaborated on intergenerational conversations and cultural and political identity. The aim of the dialogue was to critique and analyse the National Action Plan (NAP) and the extent to which it pledges to tackles issues of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance. The NAP also considers the roles of both state and non-state actors and their proposed countermeasures in cases involving xenophobia, and how such interventions can be conducted in a more pragmatic manner within South African borders.
The opening remarks were given by Prof Frans Viljoen, the Director of the Centre, who noted that the Centre's Campaign #AfricanMigrants Matter which focuses on the rights of asylum seekers, refugees, internally displaced persons and other migrants on the African continent. This correlates with the African Union's theme for 2019 namely "Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa". He noted that the Centre made great effort to focalize the theme, presenting it through the African Human Rights Moot Court Competition which was attended by over 60 universities across the continent and hosted the International Conference on the Protection of Persons Forcibly Displaced in Africa.
Speaking on the importance of the event he stated that it was key in streamlining specific issues facing South Africa at the moment and to have a dialogue from multiple perspectives. He noted that they are two broader polarities in South Africa: The first polarity relates to the South African constitution which promises the rights of every South African but also extends rights to non-citizens in certain aspects, as many provisions are not qualified as only pertaining to the citizenry. It promises certain rights pertaining to socio-economic wellbeing and the right to safety and security but we are cognizant of the reality of service delivery and high rate of criminality indicates the contrary. The second polarity relates to the disjuncture between the present and past relationship between South Africa and other African countries, which over the years has been characterized by counter-dependency.
Ms Bonolo Makgale of the Centre's Democracy, Transparency, and Digital Rights Unit in her contextual reflection highlighted that in 2008, the Human Science Research Council found that 52% of the total population agrees that foreign nationals are the cause of increased criminal rates in South Africa. In 2016, the number increased to 66 %. Another study by the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation in 2017 confirmed high levels of prejudice among South Africans against foreign nationals. This study found that 56% of South Africans noted that they harbored distrust towards foreign nationals whilst 46% noted that they believed foreign nationals did not belong in South Africa. Xenophobia has for the most part been a South African phenomenon but the recent attacks proved that it has become an unprecedented Pan-African issue.
Ms Corlete Letlojane, the Executive Director of Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA) noted that South Africa is in denial of the existence of xenophobia. The African Union is calling on Civil Society Organisation (CSO's) to find solutions on migrant issues on the continent. What do we call these incidences? Is it xenophobia, Afrophobia or 'Afro hate', and why is it that only African foreign nationals seem to be the targets? There is a protocol in SADC, called the protocol for the free movement of persons in Southern Africa, that had been amended. adopted and should be enforced as there has been ratification by 55% of member states.
Mr. Amos Monyela, the Gauteng chairperson of COSATU gave insightful comments on the nature of inequality in South Africa and how these have fomented tensions between Africans in South Africa. He commented firmly on the fact that South Africa's racially unjust past and present still have much impact on the standards of living of ordinary citizens and how they, in turn, engage with other Africans. He directed the audience to a line of thinking based on the sharing of scarce resources, and how black Africans in South Africa are marginalized to the extent that they are forced to compete for access to limited opportunities, and that this can be seen as the main proponent for xenophobic incidents. He also lambasted the government not only for failing to address the inequality gap but for seemingly ignoring the plight of the ordinary black citizenry who have consistently called on higher structures to strengthen service delivery.
Ms Lindiwe Hani, the author of "Being Chris Hani's daughter' spoke on the role of youth regarding xenophobia. She noted that the hatred that the youth have developed towards foreigners emanated from their parental narrations on living side-by-side with foreign nationals. These narrations usually center around how foreign nationals have streamed into the country and continue to take advantage of scarce job opportunities at the expense of the local citizenry. These results in competition to access education and job opportunities and are some of the reasons why the youth do not feel inclined to accommodate their African brothers and sisters.
Ms Slindile Mlilo, a PhD candidate from the African Center for Migration and Society, based at the University of the Witswatersrand, spoke on statistical analysis of the recent xenophobic attacks. She noted that there were 529 incidents in total as from 2018, 100 000+ people were displaced. She also noted that there was high concentration of displacement in Gauteng, Western Cape, Kwazulu Natal with North West being on the rise. However, some areas might have low rates because people are not reporting. From January to September 2019 a total of 68 incidents were recorded, 12 people died over 800 people displaced and over 48 shops looted. 10 South Africans were affected as well as women and children.
Vuyani Mrali a University of Pretoria student, gave a final note that South Africa was experiencing what is essentially a cultural problem. His argument was that in any case, if foreign nationals were to be removed as some have called for, tribalism would still subsist. He noted that before colonialism there was a preexisting issue of identity politics, permeated by a superiority/inferiority complex amongst the various tribes in South Africa. He noted that xenophobia could not be dealt with effectively without a thorough understanding of Ubuntu. Many participants agreed that identity crisis is indeed a pertinent issue in South African intercultural relations.
In conclusion, Prof Hansungule noted that Article 12 (5) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights admonishes attacks African foreign nationals in other African Countries and all African Countries have ratified this Charter. In response to Mr. Amos Monyela, he noted that in countries like Zambia, South African guerillas were not restricted but treated with the dignity that the above Charter presupposes, and is a standard worth emulating. He gave personal anecdotes on his experiences of xenophobia while in South Africa as well as giving insight into how these issues can be dealt with institutionally as opposed to individual and ad hoc responses on the ground. The event came to a close with much hope for a legislative framework that comprehensively addresses these issues but also the somber realisation that much work is still to be done in fostering dialogues that raise African's awareness to issues of xenophobia, Nationality, and Equality in Africa.
Ms Bonolo Makgale
Programme Manager Democracy and Civic Engagement Unit
bonolo.makgale@up.ac.za


If you Google "Sheet Pan Meals" these days, you'll find thousands of great ideas! But how to make them with whatever you have on hand? And make sure that you have a balanced meal, including important nutrients? Sheet pan meals can be a great way to get meal prep done efficiently and to get delicious and healthy meals on the table quickly! Here's our guide.
In terms of putting together balanced meals, the most important ingredient on the pan should be the vegetables! Choose two or three vegetables that you like to eat together. Decide which takes the longest to cook and start with that one on the pan. Usually root vegetables and hard vegetables (like carrots, squash, and potatoes) take the longest to cook, followed by soft vegetables (peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and onions.) Proteins can be added next. Peas, corn, or cooked legumes can be added for the last few minutes of cooking, just to heat through. Top it all off with some fresh garnish or a flavorful sauce, and dinner is ready!
I like to use a high oven temperature to roast vegetables and proteins without drying them out, and to make sure we get some light caramelization, for best flavor. I tested these recipes at 450F, but you will have to experiment with your oven temperature and times to figure out your best results. If it is taking a very long time to get a little color on your meals, turn the oven up a little the next time. If items are browning, but not cooking through, turn the oven down a little the next time. You'll soon have no trouble knowing which temperature works best for your taste.
Try to think about what flavor profile you want to achieve and choose your spices and herbs accordingly. Southwestern and Mexican dishes use garlic, cumin, fresh or dried chiles, oregano, cilantro, and lime juice. Asian dishes can include ginger, garlic, chiles, Chinese 5-spice, fresh cilantro, mint, basil and green onions, along with soy sauce or fish sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar or lime juice. Mediterranean flavor profiles include fresh or dried herbs like basil and oregano, garlic, and acidic elements like balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and zest.
To make your meal delicious, and to prevent drying out of your vegetables, it's important to coat them with a marinade or a light coating of oil. A marinade is a good place to add dried herbs and spices and coat your vegetables and proteins with flavor. A touch of honey can balance out acidic flavors, like balsamic vinegar or lime juice, and also promote browning. Allow proteins to marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight. Proteins can also be frozen in resealable bags in their marinade, before cooking. Then, they marinate themselves while thawing overnight in the refrigerator. Liquid oils are best to use, for ease of marinating. I usually use olive or avocado oil, but you may use your choice of fat.
Our recipes today include Curried Chickpeas and Cauliflower, with an Indian flavor profile, 5-Spice Roasted Salmon with Sesame Asparagus, and Southwestern Fajitas. I hope they will become favorite recipes of yours, and a helpful introduction to sheet pan meals!
Potatoes would make a nice addition to this dish, as would fresh or frozen peas. This raita is a vegan version, but you could substitute plain yogurt for the cashew cream if you prefer.
Turmeric 1 – 2 t.
Salt ¼ – ½ t.
Cumin seed, toasted ½ t.
Line a sheet pan with a parchment sheet.
Mix together the oil, Garam Masala, Turmeric, and Salt to make the marinade.
Place cauliflower florets and sliced red onion in a bowl and add the marinade. Toss to coat.
Bake for 15 minutes, then add the drained chickpeas, and stir to coat chickpeas with marinade.
Bake for 10 minutes, until cauliflower and onions are soft and lightly browned, and chickpeas are lightly browned.
While vegetables are in the oven, make the carrot & cumin raita: Place the cashews in the blender jar. Boil the water and pour over the cashews. Add the ginger, garlic, and lime juice, and allow the mixture to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Blend until smooth and add the carrot and cumin seed. Chill before serving.
When vegetables are finished, remove pan from oven and garnish with cilantro.
Serve with carrot & cumin raita.
Place sliced chicken, peppers, and onions into a bowl or a resealable plastic bag and add the marinade. Seal the bag and mix to coat the chicken and peppers. Place the chicken and vegetables into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight.
Place chicken and vegetables on sheet pan lined with parchment. Bake for 10 minutes and stir the chicken and vegetables. Bake for 10 – 15 more minutes, until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through, and lightly browned.
Place tortillas on top of chicken and vegetables and cover with aluminum foil. Return to oven for 5 minutes.
Serve fajitas with shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and avocado slices if desired.
Green Onion, finely chopped ¼ c.
Prepare rice by mixing rice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Once time is up, remove pot from the heat, remove lid, and fluff the rice. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Mix brown sugar and 5-spice powder, and place onto a small plate.
Cut salmon into portion size pieces, press into the sugar and spice mixture, and place onto sheet pan, sugar side up. Toss asparagus pieces with sesame oil and place onto sheet pan with salmon.
Place into oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until salmon and asparagus are browned and cooked through.
Sprinkle asparagus with sesame seeds and salt.
Serve salmon with asparagus and jasmine rice, sprinkled with green onions.


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Outside Resources (5)
Resources for Featured Articles
This year's Dart Awards went to The Salt Lake Tribune for its coverage of sexual assault at Brigham Young University and Transom.org for "A Life Sentence: Victims, Offenders, Justice and My Mother. The 2017 winners' roundtable featured Jay Allison and Samantha Broun from Transom.org, and Erin Alberty and Rachel Piper from the Salt Lake Tribune. A full event transcript is now available.
Deadline Passed: Dart Asia Pacific Fellowship
The Dart Centre Asia Pacific Fellowships offer seasoned journalists and their editors in the South Pacific a special opportunity to improve coverage of tragic events.
Reporting Advice from Dart Award Winners
May 2, 2017 by Samantha Broun, Erin Alberty
Dart Award winners Samantha Broun from Transom.org and Erin Alberty from The Salt Lake Tribune offer advice on covering trauma.
In the Line of Duty: Covering Trauma
May 2, 2017 by Louise Tickle
Louise Tickle on the sometimes devastating impact of covering disturbing stories.
This year's Dart Awards went to The Salt Lake Tribune for its coverage of sexual assault at Brigham Young University and Transom.org for "A Life Sentence: Victims, Offenders, Justice and My Mother." An honorable mention went to The New York Times for "Lasting Scars." Please join us on May 3 for the Awards ceremony and winners' roundtable.
A Life Sentence: Victims, Offenders, Justice, And My Mother
April 7, 2017 by Samantha Broun, Jay Allison
This intensely personal documentary tells the story of a violent crime committed against reporter Samantha Broun's mother, its far-reaching impact on her family and decades of reverberations on politics and the criminal justice system. Judges described "A Life Sentence" as a "deeply honest," "brave" and personal story "elevated to great journalism." Originally published by Transom.org in March, 2016.
Lasting Scars
April 7, 2017 by Sheri Fink, James Risen, Matt Apuzzo, Bryan Denton, Rebecca Corbett
This three-part series exposes the hidden legacy of torture perpetrated by the United States at C.I.A. prisons and Guantanamo, and examines the long-term consequences on prisoners. Judges called it "incredibly important journalism," and commended it for providing "a new angle on the urgent topic of torture." Originally published by The New York Times in October and November, 2016.
Coverage of Campus Sexual Assault at BYU
April 7, 2017 by Erin Alberty, Rachel Piper, Leah Hogsten, Sheila McCann
This exhaustive and meticulously reported year-long inquiry into BYU's practice of investigating students who report sexual assaults for possible violations of the school's Honor Code led to sweeping policy changes at BYU, and prompted wider soul-searching on rape culture in Utah. Judges called The Salt Lake Tribune's coverage "a rare combination of journalistic rigor, aggressive reporting and compassion." Originally published by The Salt Lake Tribune between April - October, 2016.
Keeping the Promise: Lessons from the Sewol Ferry Disaster
April 7, 2017 by Chong-ae Lee
It's been three years since the Sewol ferry sunk off the coast of South Korea, leaving nearly 300 dead. As Koreans continue to struggle to comprehend this tragedy, Korean journalists are reckoning with the consequences of their own failings. Chong-ae Lee reports on lessons learned and a new tool available for journalists bearing witness to trauma.
Handling Traumatic Imagery: Developing a Standard Operating Procedure
April 4, 2017 by Gavin Rees
A standard operating procedure (S.O.P.) is a device for building a systematic approach to a task. This guide goes through a series of structured steps for how to craft a personalised workflow for handling graphic content that depicts death, injury, and other violations.


Elon Reeve Musk the brain behind SpaceX, Tesla Motors, SolarCity and PayPal had a humble beginning in South Africa and a young adulthood full of struggles. His out of the box thinking made him who he is today; a thinker, pioneer, inventor and entrepreneur. Today, Musk is involved in designing electric cars, a futuristic transportation system called the Hyperloop and spaceships.
Is the name Howard Schultz familiar to you? If yes, great! If not, here's a hint. Have you ever been to Starbucks? Now, that is bound to be a 'yes'. Schultz is the executive chairman of this globally renowned coffee chain that is committed to deliver something 'special' to its customers.
Tenacity (pronounced as tɪˈnasɪti) – The quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly; grip.
Arguably one of those rare people whose tenacity knew no bounds is Jack Ma. He is the wealthiest Chinese citizen, who's company Ali Express has sales numbers rank globally as second (next to Walmart).


Authors should closely follow the guidelines below before submitting a manuscript.
All papers have to be written in English.
Research Papers: We accept as main category research papers that report on original research. Results previously published at conferences or workshops may be submitted as extended versions.
Position Papers: We accept position papers presenting discussions and viewpoints around Data Science topics. These papers do not need an evaluation, but need to present relevant and novel discussion points in a thorough manner.
Survey Papers: We also publish survey papers of the state of the art of topics central to the journal's scope. Survey articles should be comprehensive and balanced, and should have the potential to become well-known introductory and overview texts.
Note that these word counts are not targets but maximum values. Papers may be significantly shorter. Exceptions for longer papers are possible if well justified (contact the editors-in-chief before submitting papers that exceed the stated word limits).
These word counts include the abstract, tables, and figure and table captions. Author lists and references, however, are not counted. Each figure counts for an additional 300 words.
It is furthermore the authors' responsibility to ensure that the publication of the extended version complies with the requirements (including copyright) of the previous publisher.
Submissions should contain the full names, affiliations, and ORCID identifiers for all authors, and email-addresses for the corresponding authors.
We encourage authors to submit their papers in HTML. There are various tools and templates for that, such as RASH, dokieli, and Authorea.
The Research Articles in Simplified HTML (RASH) (doc, paper) is a markup language that restricts the use of HTML elements to only 32 elements for writing academic research articles. It is possible to includes also RDFa annotations within any element of the language and other RDF statements in Turtle, JSON-LD and RDF/XML format by using the appropriate tag script. Authors can start from this generic template, which can be also found in the convenient ZIP archive containing the whole RASH package. Alternatively, these guidelines for OpenOffice and Word explain how to write a scholarly paper by using the basic features available in OpenOffice Writer and Microsoft Word, in a way that it can be converted into RASH by means of the RASH Online Conversion Service (ROCS) (src, paper).
As a second alternative, dokieli is a client-side editor for decentralized article publishing in HTML+RDFa, annotations and social interactions, compliant with the Linked Research initiative. There are a variety of examples in the wild, including the LNCS and ACM author guidelines as templates.
We also accept Jupyter Notebooks and other HTML-based interactive formats.
We prefer HTML, but we also accept submissions in Word or LaTeX. In that case, please use the official templates by IOS Press found here (LaTeX only) and here (Word and LaTeX).
This is optional, but we would like to encourage you to provide semantic (meta-)data with your scientific papers, but unfortunately no accepted standards, best practices, or nice tools exist for that yet. We are working to fix this. In the meantime, and if you are a bit experienced with RDF, we are very happy to receive your RDFa-enriched paper or a submission with separate RDF statements. We are also happy to help you with that, if you are not experienced with RDF.
We hope to be able to provide more general and more user-friendly guidelines for semantic publishing in the near future.
All relevant data that were used or produced for conducting the work presented in a paper must be made FAIR and compliant with the PLOS data availability guidelines prior to submission. See in particular the list of recommended data repositories. (We might provide our own data availability guidelines in the future, but we borrow the excellent PLOS guidelines for now.) In a nutshell, data have to be made openly accessible and freely reusable via established institutions and standards, unless privacy concerns forbid such a publication. In any case, metadata have to be made publicly accessible and visible.
See the reviewing guidelines for the specific criteria according to which submitted papers are evaluated.


text:
ST Aerospace acquires remaining 50% of S-PRO
Download: Printable PDF Date: 01 Oct 2015 10:37 category:
Tatjana Obrazcova
Source: MRO Network
ST Aerospace Systems has acquired the remaining 50 per cent stake in Singapore Precision Repair and Overhaul (S-PRO) from Messier-Bugatti-Dowty (a Safran company) for $8.1m.
Following the acquisition, landing gear and components specialist S-PRO will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of ST Aerospace Systems, the aerospace arm of ST Engineering.
ST Aerospace said acquiring S-PRO aligns with its strategy to develop its Singapore base as a centre of excellence for landing gear MRO. Following confirmation of the deal, S-PRO has concurrently signed an agreement with Messier-Bugatti-Dowty to remain as an authorised service centre for landing gears installed on turboprops, and regional jets, as well as wheels, brakes and hydraulic components installed on various aircraft types.
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Starting in Summer 2020, Lufthansa will be taking off from Munich with two additional Airbus A380 aircraft. This will increase the Munich A380 fleet to a total of seven aircraft, with the remaining se...
New Heights in the Heart of the Swiss Alps
A landing of the largest business jet in Gstaad's Saanen airport, in the heart of the Swiss Alps, is it possible? With Global 7500 aircraft the answer is quite clear - yes. This is one...


Manufacturers' stocks of finished products were 0.3 percent up in November 2013 from November 2012. In October, stocks of finished products were 4.5 percent up from the same month one year previously. Stock figures are adjusted for price changes.
The mood among manufacturers with respect to the volume of their stocks deteriorated in January compared to December. Manufacturers defining their stocks as too large have outnumbered those defining their stocks as too small for nearly three years now.


text:
Paul DeJong
SS, St. Louis CardinalsSTL
Paul DeJong not in Cardinals' Sunday lineup
FPPG: 7.6
St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis STL
Andrew Miller J.A. Happ Jon Lester Matt Carpenter Paul Goldschmidt Yadier Molina Adam Wainwright Miles Mikolas T.J. McFarland Nolan Arenado Steven Matz Jose Rondon Alex Reyes Giovanny Gallegos Paul DeJong Harrison Bader Jack Flaherty Tyler O'Neill Dakota Hudson Edmundo Sosa Genesis Cabrera Andrew Knizner Tommy Edman Dylan Carlson Kwang-Hyun Kim Kodi Whitley Jake Woodford Lars Nootbaar
A. Miller J. Happ J. Lester M. Carpenter P. Goldschmidt Y. Molina A. Wainwright M. Mikolas T. McFarland N. Arenado S. Matz J. Rondon A. Reyes G. Gallegos P. DeJong H. Bader J. Flaherty T. O'Neill D. Hudson E. Sosa G. Cabrera A. Knizner T. Edman D. Carlson K. Kim K. Whitley J. Woodford L. Nootbaar
10/6/21	 @ LAD
10/2/21	 CHC
9/30/21	 MIL
9/26/21	 @ CHC
9/22/21	 @ MIL
9/17/21	 SD
9/14/21	 @ NYM
9/12/21	 CIN
9/9/21	 LAD
9/1/21	 @ CIN
8/30/21	 @ CIN
8/29/21	 @ PIT
8/25/21	 DET
8/22/21	 PIT
8/13/21	 @ KC
8/8/21	 KC
8/5/21	 ATL
7/31/21	 MIN
7/28/21	 @ CLE
7/21/21	 CHC
7/18/21	 SF
7/9/21	 @ CHC
7/7/21	 @ SF
7/4/21	 @ COL
6/29/21	 ARI
6/23/21	 @ DET
6/20/21	 @ ATL
6/16/21	 MIA
5/9/21	 COL
5/6/21	 NYM
5/2/21	 @ PIT
4/28/21	 PHI
4/21/21	 @ WSH
4/18/21	 @ PHI
4/13/21	 WSH
4/8/21	 MIL
4/7/21	 @ MIA
1	 1	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 1	 0.000	 N/A	 0	 N/A
4	 4	 0	 0	 1	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0.250	 $2,000	 6	 3
3	 2	 1	 0	 1	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 1	 0.500	 $2,200	 9	 4.09
4	 3	 0	 0	 0	 0	 1	 1	 3	 0	 0	 1	 0.333	 $2,200	 25.7	 11.68
4	 4	 0	 1	 0	 0	 1	 2	 1	 0	 0	 0	 0.500	 N/A	 24.9	 N/A
3	 3	 0	 1	 0	 0	 1	 1	 1	 0	 0	 0	 0.667	 $2,300	 21.7	 9.43
3	 1	 2	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 1	 0	 1	 0.000	 $2,300	 12	 5.22
4	 3	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 1	 0	 0	 2	 0.000	 N/A	 3.5	 N/A
4	 4	 0	 1	 0	 0	 0	 0	 1	 0	 0	 1	 0.250	 $4,000	 6.5	 1.63
4	 3	 1	 0	 0	 0	 1	 1	 2	 0	 0	 0	 0.333	 $2,800	 25.2	 9
4	 4	 0	 1	 1	 0	 0	 1	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0.500	 $3,300	 12.2	 3.7
4	 3	 1	 2	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0	 1	 0.667	 $2,500	 9	 3.6
Brad Miller	2014 Season
Scott Hairston	2010 Season
Logan Morrison	2016 Season
Todd Frazier	2018 Season
Richard Hidalgo	2002 Season


A burnt out van containing the remnants of a destroyed cash machine has been discovered in a field outside Belfast.
The wreckage was discovered between Dundrod and Nutt's Corner.
Detectives in Antrim are appealing for information following the report of suspicious circumstances in the Crumlin area.
Detective Sergeant Lyttle said: "We received a report shortly before 11:30am that a burnt out Transit-type van, containing what appears to be the remnants of an ATM machine, was discovered in a field in the Carnaghliss Road area.
"It's believed the fire occurred sometime last night around 10.30 p.m. NIFRS attended and have ruled this to be deliberate ignition.
"Our enquiries are at an early stage, and we are working to establish where the vehicle and machine were stolen from.
"I am appealing to anyone who was in the Carnaghliss Road area last night - between 10 p.m. and 10.35 p.m. - and saw any suspicious activity to call us. Anyone with information they believe may assist our investigation is asked to phone detectives in Antrim on the non emergency number 101, quoting reference number 406 of 23/03/19."


Despite multiple requests by the state of Texas, the federal government lacks the capability or the will to distinguish the dangerous from the harmless, and Texas will not be an accomplice to such dereliction of duty to the American people.
Federal officials, of course, have said that the current vetting process, which can take up to two years, is more than sufficient. "This model for refugee resettlement will continue in Texas," a spokesperson for the federal Administration for Children and Families said in a statement.
Reportedly, in negotiating refugee resettlement plans for 2017, Texas officials have already rejected a State Department proposal to increase the number of refugees resettled in Texas by 25 percent over the 7,633 resettled in 2016. Texas state officials are not allowed to exclude refugees; they may only refuse to participate, in which case the federal government can direct money that would have flowed through the state directly to resettlement nonprofits under the U.S. Refugee Act of 1980. This would require the designation of a state refugee coordinator to disburse funding—a provision now active in six states.