WEDNESDAY, Sept. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- More babies are dying before they turn 1-year-old in the United States than in most of Europe and several other developed countries, a new U.S. government report says.
A greater proportion of premature births and deaths of full-term babies are driving the higher rate, which puts the United States below 25 other countries, according to the report, released Sept. 24 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"I think we've known for a long time that the U.S. has a higher preterm birth rate, but this higher infant mortality rate for full-term, big babies who should have really good survival prospects is not what we expected," said lead author Marian MacDorman, a senior statistician and researcher in the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
The infant mortality rate refers to the percentage of babies born alive who die before their first birthday.
In the United States, 6.1 infants die per every 1,000 live births, more than double the rates of Finland, Japan, Portugal, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Norway. Still, the U.S. rate is an improvement since 2005, when the rate was 6.87 and had not budged much for five years, according to the report.
The reasons for the higher U.S. rate are complex. Improvements in prenatal care have led to more preemies, who are at higher risk for death, instead of stillbirths, said Dr. Deborah Campbell, a professor of clinical pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. Stillbirths are not included in infant mortality statistics.
But disparities in prenatal care play a role as well, she said.
"The U.S. lags behind other developed countries because there remain significant gaps in access to and utilization of prenatal and preconception care," said Campbell, who is also director of division of neonatology at Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. "There is a well-delineated history of racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and infant outcomes in the U.S., with black women and their infants being at greatest risk and having the highest rates of poor outcomes," she said.
Campbell added that it can take three to four generations to overcome effects from past health problems such as malnutrition, discrimination and lack of access to quality health care.
At the same time, it appears that more babies are born before 24 weeks in the United States than in other countries, MacDorman said.
"I think that we make greater efforts to save really tiny babies at 22 or 23 weeks than in some other countries," she said, although she added that the report didn't address the reasons for her team's findings.
"Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I think depends," MacDorman said. "We might have more of those tiny babies surviving, but they might survive with terrible disabilities, long-term health problems and so forth."
When her study team excluded births before 24 weeks, the U.S. rate improved to 4.2 deaths per 1,000 live births but still lagged behind nine other countries and remained about double that of Denmark, Finland and Sweden.
The infant mortality rate specifically among early preemies (24 to 31 weeks) was mostly similar in the United States and Europe, but the U.S. rate for babies born between 32 and 36 weeks was poorer. For babies born at 37 weeks or later, the United States ranked last.
"These are full-term babies who presumably are pretty healthy," MacDorman said. "This report doesn't directly describe what's going on there, but I think it's more about social factors, such as SIDS [sudden infant death syndrome] and injuries. I don't think it's so much about health care but about the environment and raising a child."
According to Campbell, risks for these babies include birth defects and chromosomal abnormalities, low birth weight, SIDS, injuries like accidental suffocation and conditions in mothers that also affect newborns, such as gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia.
Several of these conditions occur more often among black and Native American/Alaskan Native women, Campbell said.
She noted, however, that several U.S. agencies and organizations began a push in 2009 to improve the preterm birth rate and prenatal care. One large part of this effort included eliminating non-medically necessary deliveries before 39 weeks of pregnancy.
"This has dramatically reduced the number of infants born late preterm," Campbell said. Another improvement has included promoting standardized, evidence-based practices in prenatal and newborn care, she said.
The researchers estimated that if the United States were to match Sweden's rates of premature births and deaths of full-term babies, 7,300 fewer infant deaths would occur each year, based on the 2010 figures.
The U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has tips for a healthy pregnancy.


I know that reading about food is really boring, but we are in Italy and eating must be an experience like visiting a museum, and you should have this experience in the right places. The Burro & Acciughe is one of these places!
This is mainly a fish restaurant, so I suggest you choose some fish dishes. I always order their bread with butter and anchovies as a starter; that is a traditional dish and even the name of the restaurant — the fried anchovies. They are both amazing, I'm not joking, they are special. Then choose any other dish on the menu, you can't go wrong. Let Alberto, the charming owner of the restaurant, suggest you a good wine to drink.
This cozy restaurant is in the genuine and historic San Frediano neighborhood.
As with all the best, but not expensive, restaurants, it's better if you book a table in advance.


text:
Home/People/Explorers/Henry Roberts
Henry RobertsDenton Pendergast2016-10-31T12:05:17-07:00
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Henry Roberts (1756–1796) was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy who served with Captain Cook on HMS Discovery, where he was entrusted with many hydrographic and cartographical tasks. It was on those voyages that he met then-midshipman George Vancouver. Roberts spent many years after that voyage preparing the detailed charts that went into Cook's posthumous Atlas. Roberts also served on HMS Resolution where he was to make a painting of the ship.
In 1790, Roberts was appointed to command a newly built HMS Discovery on another round-the-world voyage and selected George Vancouver as his first lieutenant. However, the Nootka Crisis called both men to duty elsewhere, and upon its resolution, Vancouver was given command of the historic voyage. Roberts died on 25 August 1796, while Captain of HMS Undaunted in the West Indies. He contracted yellow fever there.
Vancouver named Point Roberts after Henry Roberts.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The article describes the first synthesis of pseudorotaxanes with novel topology: the addition of stoichiometric amounts of copper(I) to the newly designed ligand affords cyclic pseudorotaxanes. The tetramer is the major product in concentrated solutions whereas the trimeric complex prevails in more diluted solutions (see scheme). Both homologous species can be interchanged via a slow equilibrium by modifying the solution concentration.
Copper(I)-Directed Formation of a Cyclic Pseudo-Rotaxane Tetramer and Its Trimer Homologue.
Angewandte Chemie International Edition 45 (2): 258-261, 2006.
Proteases are group of enzymes capable to cleave the peptide bond. These molecules play pivotal role in the regulation of number of biological processes. One of important proteases found in various human and animal tissues is glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCP-II). In human brain this enzyme cleaves a neurotransmitter NAAG, liberating thus amino acid glutamate, which plays an important role in a number of pathologic conditions, such as brain stroke neuronal damage, diabetic neuropathy, Alzheimer disease etc. The animal experiments confirmed that GCP-II indeed is an important pharmaceutical target for the development of new neuroprotective drugs. In the IOCB we succeded in preparation of the recombinant GCP-II by expression in insect cells, characterise it enzymologically, develop novel sensitive monoclonal antibodies and, in collaboration with a German team, to solve the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme. The structure of this important pharmaceutical target will be used for the rational design of novel neuroprotective drugs based on GCP-II inhibition.
Schematic view of the 3D-structure of GC-PII dimer showing its position on the plasma membrane and the epitopes of important specific monoclonal antibodies.
EMBO Journal 6 (25): 1375-1384, 2006.
Expression of glutamate carboxypeptidase II in human brain.
Neuroscience 4 (144): 1361-1372, 2007.
Biochemical characterization of human glutamate carboxypeptidase III.
Journal of Neurochemistry 101 (3): 682-696, 2007.
For a series of different proteins, including a structural protein, enzyme, inhibitor, protein marker, and a charge transfer system, we have quantified the higher affinity of Na+ over K+ to the protein surface by means of molecular dynamics simulations and conductivity measurements. Both approaches show that sodium binds at least twice as strongly to the protein surface as potassium, this effect being presentin all proteins under study. Different parts of the protein exterior are responsible to a varying degree for the highersurface affinity of sodium, with the charged carboxylicgroups of aspartate and glutamate playing the most importantrole. Local ion pairing is, therefore, the key to the surfacepreference of sodium over potassium, which is further demonstrated and quanified by simulations of glutamate and aspartate in the form of isolated amino acids, as well as short oligopeptides. As a matter of fact, the effect is already present at the level of preferential pairing of the smallest carboxylate anions, formate or acetate, with Na+ vs. K+, as shown by molecular dynamics and ab initio quantum chemical calculations. By quantifying and rationalizing the higher preference of sodium over potassium to protein surface the present study opens a way to molecular understanding of many ion-specific (Hofmeister) phenomena involving protein interactions in salt solutions. The stronger binding of Na+ to protein surface may also be one of the reasons why sodium has to be pumped out of the cell.
Higher affinity of sodium (green) over potassium (blue) to protein surface. Snapshot from molecular dynamics simulation of ribonuclease A and statistically averaged ion density distribution in the vicinity of different proteins.
Quantification and rationalization of the higher affinity of sodium over potassium to protein surface.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103: 15440-15444, 2006.


Salt water pools are almost universally considered to be nonchlorine pools. In fact, these pools contain extremely high chlorine levels. Users of these salt systems seem to think that somehow common salt is a magic form of disinfectant that does not use chlorine.
The actual technology of a salt system involves breaking salt (NaCl) into its core components, one of which is the active form of chlorine (hypochlorous acid). This chlorine is no different than the various forms of chlorine purchased in liquid, powdered or tableted forms and added manually to the pool.
Copious amounts of stabilizer are required in salt pools to prevent chlorine from being dissipated by UV rays from the sun. This stabilizer (cyanuric acid) brings it's own set of health concerns and is not required in the Oxygen Pools program.
Salt pools usually require higher chlorine levels than most pools because salt in the water creates a high pH environment and chlorine is much less effective at pH levels of 7.6 or highr. Most salt pools tend to run a pH of 7.6-8.1 and, in these alkaline conditions, chlorine is ineffective at normal levels of 1-3 ppm.
HOW EFFECTIVE IS AN OXYGEN BASED TREATMENT PROGRAM?
The actual sanitation demands of a residential pool are quite manageable considering the level of use they usually receive. In the case of oxygen-based treatment, a mechanically produced oxidizer (ozone) is automatically injected into the pool to remove organics from the water. This creates dissolved ozone in the water which breaks down to a safe residual level of hydrogen peroxide.
When this residual peroxide level is supplemented with a regular shock regimen, it is more than sufficient to maintain clean, clear, safe water.
If a particular pool has unusually high usage or unexpected problems and the oxygen based program is deemed insufficient, supplementing the oxygen treatment with trace amounts of chlorine is a straightforward and inexpensive alternative. In fact, the use of an Ozonator with microscopic levels of chlorine provides an attractive alternative to traditional high chlorine levels in residential swimming pools even if the chlorine cannot be eliminated entirely.
The drawback of both chlorine and oxygen (ozone) treatment systems has been the lack of a residual oxidizer in the water. Chlorine requires a stabilizer in the form of cyanuric acid to remain stable in water.
There are serious health concerns about the effects on human kidneys when cyanuric acid used as a stabilizer as well as concerns about the effect of chlorine on humans by absorption into the lungs and through the skin. In spite of the undesirable side effects, once stabilized by cyanuric acid, chlorine is capable of providing longer term residual protection against the formation of bacteria. The issue for many poolowners is that the side effects of chlorine use far outweigh its benefits.
By comparison, oxygen in the form of dissolved ozone is not toxic to humans when dissolved in water, so there are no health concerns as there are when using high amounts of stabilized chlorine.
There is no stabilizer used with ozone. Since it is a much more effective oxidizer than chlorine, simply lengthening the injection time into the pool will maintain satisfactory levels of residual oxidizer in the water. By continuing to add fresh Ozone to the water while the pool pump is running, the oxidation reduction potential (ORP) in water is maintained at levels easily sufficient to maintain safe water.
Both chlorine and oxygen treated pools should be shocked regularly. Shocking provides a safety margin against times when the pump is not running or when demand levels spike after heavy rains, winds or high bather loads.
In chlorine pools, shocking is accomplished with extremely high chlorine levels. Conversely, in an oxygen based pool, water is shocked with a particular blend of a nonchlorine activated oxygen additive along with clarifiers and stain protection. By shocking the water, a secondary oxidative effect is added to assure safe water in residential pools.
All of the components used in oxygen based water treatment are well known within the swimming pool industry. It is the combination of these technologies (high velocity, mechanical ozone injection combined with an activated oxygen additive) that is new to the water treatment field.
What is new in the Oxygen Pools model is the use of high velocity injection of ozone which drives ozone deep into the water where several reactions occur. These include, first, the immediate direct oxidation of contaminants in the water followed by the creation of a peroxide residual which remains in the water.
For most residential pools, which are not occupied by 90-95% of usable hours, the oxidation demand is quite manageable without traditionally recommended levels of chlorine of 2-4ppm. These levels were adapted from commercial/public pools which typically experience significantly higher spikes in bather loads and would naturally require much greater levels of residual oxidizer. The use of an oxygen-based system for residential pools has proven to be viable in keeping pool water safe, clean and amazingly clear.


text:
<?php

namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class CsvReferenceDetails extends Model
{
    protected $table = 'emconceptreferencedetails';
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: C++ pimpl idiom wastes an instruction vs. C style? (Yes, I know that one machine instruction usually doesn't matter.  I'm asking this question because I want to understand the pimpl idiom, and use it in the best possible way; and because sometimes I do care about one machine instruction.)
In the sample code below, there are two classes, Thing and
OtherThing.  Users would include "thing.hh".
Thing uses the pimpl idiom to hide it's implementation.
OtherThing uses a C style – non-member functions that return and take
pointers.  This style produces slightly better machine code.  I'm
wondering: is there a way to use C++ style – ie, make the functions
into member functions – and yet still save the machine instruction.  I like this style because it doesn't pollute the namespace outside the class.
Note: I'm only looking at calling member functions (in this case, calc).  I'm not looking at object allocation.
Below are the files, commands, and the machine code, on my Mac.
thing.hh:
class ThingImpl;
class Thing
{
    ThingImpl *impl;
public:
    Thing();
    int calc();
};

class OtherThing;
OtherThing *make_other();
int calc(OtherThing *);

thing.cc:
#include "thing.hh"

struct ThingImpl
{
    int x;
};

Thing::Thing()
{
    impl = new ThingImpl;
    impl->x = 5;
}

int Thing::calc()
{
    return impl->x + 1;
}

struct OtherThing
{
    int x;
};

OtherThing *make_other()
{
    OtherThing *t = new OtherThing;
    t->x = 5;
}

int calc(OtherThing *t)
{
    return t->x + 1;
}

main.cc (just to test the code actually works...)
#include "thing.hh"
#include <cstdio>

int main()
{
    Thing *t = new Thing;
    printf("calc: %d\n", t->calc());

    OtherThing *t2 = make_other();
    printf("calc: %d\n", calc(t2));
}

Makefile:
all: main

thing.o : thing.cc thing.hh
    g++ -fomit-frame-pointer -O2 -c thing.cc

main.o : main.cc thing.hh
    g++ -fomit-frame-pointer -O2 -c main.cc

main: main.o thing.o
    g++ -O2 -o $@ $^

clean:
    rm *.o
    rm main

Run make and then look at the machine code.  On the mac I use otool -tv thing.o | c++filt.  On linux I think it's objdump -d thing.o.  Here is the relevant output:

Thing::calc():
  0000000000000000  movq    (%rdi),%rax
  0000000000000003  movl    (%rax),%eax
  0000000000000005  incl    %eax
  0000000000000007  ret
  calc(OtherThing*):
  0000000000000010  movl    (%rdi),%eax
  0000000000000012  incl    %eax
  0000000000000014  ret

Notice the extra instruction because of the pointer indirection.  The first function looks up two fields (impl, then x), while the second only needs to get x.  What can be done?

A: One instruction is rarely a thing to spend much time worrying over. Firstly, the compiler may cache the pImpl in a more complex use case, thus amortising the cost in a real-world scenario. Secondly, pipelined architectures make it almost impossible to predict the real cost in clock cycles. You'll get a much more realistic idea of the cost if you run these operations in a loop and time the difference.

A: Not too hard, just use the same technique inside your class. Any halfway decent optimizer will inline
the trivial wrapper.
class ThingImpl;
class Thing
{
    ThingImpl *impl;
    static int calc(ThingImpl*);
public:
    Thing();
    int calc() { calc(impl); }
};

A: There's the nasty way, which is to replace the pointer to ThingImpl with a big-enough array of unsigned chars and then placement/new reinterpret cast/explicitly destruct the ThingImpl object.
Or you could just pass the Thing around by value, since it should be no larger than the pointer to the ThingImpl, though may require a little more than that (reference counting of the ThingImpl would defeat the optimisation, so you need some way of flagging the 'owning' Thing, which might require extra space on some architectures).

A: I disagree about your usage: you are not comparing the 2 same things.
#include "thing.hh"
#include <cstdio>

int main()
{
    Thing *t = new Thing;                // 1
    printf("calc: %d\n", t->calc());

    OtherThing *t2 = make_other();       // 2
    printf("calc: %d\n", calc(t2));
}

*

*You have in fact 2 calls to new here, one is explicit and the other is implicit (done by the constructor of Thing.

*You have 1 new here, implicit (inside 2)

You should allocate Thing on the stack, though it would not probably change the double dereferencing instruction... but could change its cost (remove a cache miss).
However the main point is that Thing manages its memory on its own, so you can't forget to delete the actual memory, while you definitely can with the C-style method.
I would argue that automatic memory handling is worth an extra memory instruction, specifically because as it's been said, the dereferenced value will probably be cached if you access it more than once, thus amounting to almost nothing.
Correctness is more important than performance.

A: Let the compiler worry about it. It knows far more about what is actually faster or slower than we do. Especially on such a minute scale.
Having items in classes has far, far more benefits than just encapsulation. PIMPL's a great idea, if you've forgotten how to use the private keyword.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Pro-Ject marks 30th birthday with Debut Pro turntable
By Paul Ridden
Pro-Ject marks 30 years in the home audio business with the launch of a new Debut turntable
Rear view of the Debut Pro, showing gold-plated RCA connectors, mounts for the included dust cover and power port
The Debut Pro comes equipped with Pro-Ject's aluminum/carbon tonearm
The Debut Pro boasts a brand-new MM phono cartridge developed with Ortofon
Austrian hi-fi brand Pro-Ject turns 30 this year, and to celebrate the company has added a new member to its affordable Debut family of turntables, which retains the company's minimalist DNA but comes with some key enhancements for improved performance.
The Debut Pro features an 8.6-inch hybrid tonearm featuring aluminum inner tubing wrapped in a layer of carbon fiber, the former for damping and shielding and the latter for high stiffness while remaining lightweight.
The tonearm bearing is a fresh design, fashioned from a single block of aluminum and given a nickel finish to increase rigidity. Both azimuth and vertical tracking angle can be adjusted, as can the tonearm's height – to cater for differences in the thickness of turntable mats, and to accommodate various cartridges.
But Pro-Ject has designed a new Moving Magnet cartridge for the Debut Pro, in partnership with Ortofon. The shapely Pick It Pro is reckoned to offer "a more lively and robust sound and convinces with its big dynamic range."
The electronically controlled motor that drives the belt gripping the die-cast aluminum platter at 33/45/78 rpm is decoupled from the main body to ensure that vibrations don't get to the sensitive cartridge and spoil the listening party.
And that platter is home to a thermoplastic elastomer ring on the inside to offer even more damping, and to minimize wow and flutter (pitch variation). The turntable's hand-painted MDF chassis is also isolated from the surface it's sitting on via three height-adjustable, damped aluminum feet.
The Debut Pro goes on sale next month for a suggested retail price of €750 (about US$885), taking its place at the top spot in the range above last year's Debut Carbon Evo.
Product page: Debut Pro
Home EntertainmentTurntablesAudiophileVinylHi-fi
Paul Ridden
While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won't say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed from hobby into career before hopping over to France for 10 years, where he started work for New Atlas in 2009. Now back in his native Blighty, he serves as Managing Editor in Europe.
Lowell July 16, 2021 11:47 PM
Every time a record is played, the needle does some damage. This is why audiophiles would play a record once while taping it. Then the non-destructive laser was introduced.
Sadly, the laser has never come down to affordable prices for most record collectors. Each time I see a new turntable I investigate, hoping it will feature a non-destructive laser. I am disappointed again.
Signguy July 19, 2021 09:54 AM
Lowell...I agree. For something so archaic, when properly adjusted, the sound I astounding. A friend's son of 26 had never heard a record before, and when he heard his father's system; basic integrated amp, turntable, and speakers, he was truly amazed.
However, adjusting a cartridge on a turntable requires some equipment only shops have. But then there's the P mount.
IvanWashington July 19, 2021 03:31 PM
i wonder what is the needle geometry of that new cartridge?


text:
Q: Error "An SMTP To address is required to send a message" on Learn-Rails Tutorial I keep getting error on "Send Mail" section on the Learn Ruby on Rails tutorial.
I have tried to clone https://github.com/RailsApps/learn-rails.git on my local machine but the issue is still here.
Below is my code:
user_mailer.rb
class UserMailer < ApplicationMailer
  default from: "do-not-reply@example.com"

  def contact_email(contact)
    @contact = contact
    mail(to: Rails.application.secrets.owner_email, from: @contact.email, :subject => "Website Contact")
  end
end

development.rb
config.action_mailer.smtp_settings = {
    address: "smtp.gmail.com",
    port: 587,
    domain: Rails.application.secrets.domain_name,
    authentication: "plain",
    enable_starttls_auto: true,
    user_name: Rails.application.secrets.email_provider_username,
    password: Rails.application.secrets.email_provider_password
  }
  # ActionMailer Config
  config.action_mailer.default_url_options = { :host => 'localhost:3000' }
  config.action_mailer.delivery_method = :smtp
  config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = true
  # Send email in development mode?
  config.action_mailer.perform_deliveries = true

secrets.yml
development:
  email_provider_username: <%= ENV["GMAIL_USERNAME"] %>
  email_provider_password: <%= ENV["GMAIL_PASSWORD"] %>
  mailchimp_api_key: <%= ENV["MAILCHIMP_API_KEY"] %>
  mailchimp_list_id: <%= ENV["MAILCHIMP_LIST_ID"] %>
  domain_name: example.com
  owner_email: <%= ENV["OWNER_EMAIL"] %>

I have also made sure that the environment variables were set up correctly on .bashrc file.
Any help will be greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance!

A: For development, you can use the letter opener gem. Once you send an email it'll automatically open in your default browser.
Add the following to the development section of your Gemfile.
gem 'letter_opener'

A: I too was having the identical issue. I tried everything from disabling 2-step verification (Google) to hardcoding my credentials in the secrets.yml with zero success.
I used my outlook.com credentials and it worked perfectly.
Note: this requires a change in development.rb
config.action_mailer.smtp_settings = {
    address : "smtp.live.com"
    # everything else is identical.
}

A: Setting it for gmail
ActionMailer::Base.delivery_method = :smtp
    ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings = {
      :address => "smtp.gmail.com",
      :domain => "gmail.com",
      :port => 587,
      :user_name => "username",
      :password => "password",
      :authentication => :plain,
      :enable_starttls_auto => true,
      :openssl_verify_mode => 'none'
    }

make it true
  config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = true it will tell if any error occurs.
Also try port 25


text:
Meet the woman behind Manchester's Kinofilm Festival
By Emily Oldfield
Now in its 14th year, Kinofilm is in town until November 26, providing you with the opportunity to watch unique short films in city centre locations.
It's also a chance to see debut features from new film makers breaking into the industry as well as shorts from established professionals who've previously appeared at Manchester International Film Festival.
We spoke to Kinofilm festival manager Nicole Pott to find out more.
What can people expect from this year's Kinofilm?
We're looking to make the 14th edition of the festival one of the best yet. This year, we're hosting the festival across several venues and will host over 250 films and several events, including a Women in Film and TV day and a documentary day. Being my first festival working for Kino, it's great to see how much its developed since the early 90s and hear about how much its changed.
How did you get involved?
I've always had a passion for organising and producing, whether it be through festival management or through producing films through my production company Sonder Pictures. Managing any event or project is hard work and you have to have the passion for it, so when I came across Kinofilm Festival's advert for a festival manager, I jumped onto applying quickly. It's been a real eye opener and I have learnt so much. It's my job to be organised, from making sure all the sponsorships are in place to booking venues to curating events with different companies and organisations.
You've been involved in other festivals including High Peak Independent Film Festival?
Yes, the High Peak Indie happened in July this year and that was a lot smaller in comparison to Kino. It was actually the inaugural year for the festival, so moving onto a film festival that has been going since 1993 was a big step up. High Peak Indie consisted of 51 shorts and features plus four big events across the three and a half days. Kino is showcasing over 250 films and many more events across eight days. It makes me work harder to make sure that the film festival is to the standard of a film festival that has been going so long, but it's great to be able to bring in the contacts I made from my own film festival.
How do you ensure that content is challenging?
We are trying to create opportunities for new filmmakers, like hosting a BBC Writersroom event for emerging writers and having a panel on the journey from shorts to features. We're aiming to create a festival that attracts emerging talent and established professionals. This includes our networking events that we aim to hold each night at The Gas Works Brew Bar on First Street.
How does the festival support new filmmakers?
There's such a huge selection of films showing at Kinofilm Festival, from newcomers to industry professionals. Our programme manager, Steve Balshaw, works with programmers to make sure that the best talent is picked out of the submissions, and many of these are new film makers. We have a few student programmes too so there's a huge variety. I feel really passionate about new filmmakers being given the chance to prove themselves.
What is the significance of the festival being in Manchester?
Manchester is one of the greatest cities in the world and being a film festival in the centre of an ever-growing city of culture and creativity helps us attract an audience that loves film and art. Kinofilm Festival was once described to me as being an institution in Manchester and that just goes to show how important this festival is to the city. We are able to bring those audiences year on year, to see new and exciting films and there is a big audience in Manchester who have that love for independent film.
Who doesn't love an excuse to watch a film, after all? Find out more about the festival here.
Bhaji Pala
serving some of Manchester's best curries – and it's all completely vegan
2 Old Hall Road
Tampopo Corn Exchange
Tasty East Asian food
Unit 3A The Corn Exchange
Roomzzz - Corn Exchange
Same skyline, new tricks


As a family-owned and -operated business, Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping near Cleveland puts customer satisfaction above all else. In fact, we don't consider a job complete until we see a smile on our client's face. Our experienced crew is dependable, efficient, and affordable, whether they're providing routine lawn care, plowing snow, or tending to trees. To learn more or request a free estimate, contact us at (440) 582-7669. And don't forget to check out some recent reviews below.
Based in North Royalton since 1990, Rice's proudly serves a northeast Ohio region that spans five counties — Cuyahoga, Summit, Medina, Lorain, and Portage — as well as the communities of Medina and Broadview Heights.
Their use of the right tools and knowledgeable personnel was impressive.
They cut down 7 very large trees that the city wanted removed. Also cut down 2 large trees around my home, and removed major broken branches from several other trees. They also cut down a very large tree that was leaning dangerously over my neighbor's house. They were on my property from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM, almost 12 hours, with a crew of 5 and for few hours a crew of 6.
They performed exactly as I asked, avoiding the destruction of fences, power lines, and my neighbor's house. Their use of the right tools and knowledgeable personnel was impressive. Many tree portions had to be lowered by rope from other trees. They also came with a truck size chipper, and filled a large truck with chips. I have now referred them to several other people.
I used the services of Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping for lawn care today. They do everything you want them to do and do it carefully. They come as scheduled and cut the grass in all directions, to ensure it grows well. They do a great job and I will continue to use their services in future.
They were on time, efficient, and did a great job.
They removed a small tree, shrubs, cut down weeds and removed all yard waste. They were on time, efficient, and did a great job. I plan on using them again in the fall.
I called for an estimate in March. Tom came out and gave an estimate. Unfortunately, due to all the rain this spring, my yard was very wet and no work could be done until it dried out. When it was dry enough I gave him a call and he set an appointment for his crew to come out and complete the job. They arrived on time, did all the work that was required and cleaned everything up and removed it from the property. The crew was pleasant and hard working even though it was a very hot day. I will be having his company back to complete some other work in the fall.
Neighbor impressed with his work & also hired them.
Two dead trees & 1 large (trail) live tree to be cut down. Tree stumps also removed. Price very reasonable. Came early afternoon (No scheduled time) brought 6 employees. Very competent & professional. Completed job & cleaned yard before leaving. Tree stumps removed different day but also completed satisfactory. Neighbor impressed with his work & also hired them.
GREAT GUYS, GREAT PRICE, GREAT SERVICE!!!!!!!
GREAT GUYS, GREAT PRICE, GREAT SERVICE!!!!!!! I called Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping to hire a 'local' company. I am so glad I called them! The owner, Tom Rice, comes out personally to assess the job and give a fair and reasonable estimate for work. The guys he has working for him are pleasant, friendly and VERY, VERY capable. I have referred them to several of my friends and family and they have been pleased with Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping's services as well. Tom and his guys built a BEAUTIFUL raised stone patio for my sister, she got the beautification award in her complex because of this improvement. They also built stone edged flower beds for her and they are beautiful! Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping removed a very large and dangerous tree for my other sister, it was brittle and intertwined with power lines. They did a FANTASTIC job, great price and clean up. Tom Rice also landscaped the front of my parent's house. My mother is VERY picky and she was EXTREMELY pleased with the look of her yard when the project was complete, her flower beds are now easy to maintain and look great! I, myself, initially called Tom (Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping) two years ago for an emergency lawn cutting when my tractor broke down. They quickly responded, did an AMAZING job and I've never cut my own grass again! Tom IS NOW my full time landscaper. His guys cut my grass, trim and clean up. My lawn looks great and I have nearly an acre! They are always on time and do a GREAT job at a GREAT price! I desperately needed to have several dead/dying trees removed on my property. Tom's guys came out and removed the trees quickly, neatly and efficiently. They left nothing for me to clean up or do! They even ground the stump out, like I said, left nothing for me to do! A complete job! Because of the great service from Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping, in the summer, I have also used them as my snow removal company for the last two seasons. They have done a great job at cleaning my driveway, I have an easy time getting in my driveway, never stuck thanks to Tom! They do a an impecable job at spring and fall clean up. They clean up all my leaves and branches, and they make recommendations for any trouble items they spot. Again, I have referred them to several of my friends, coworkers and family, all of whom have been equally pleased with the price and services received. Tree services, landscaping, lawn care, snow removal and stone work, all services that Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping has performed for me or my friends and family. ALL AROUND GREAT SERVICE AT A REASONABLE PRICE!! I will continue to recommend them to EVERYONE!
They always did their job very well and were very efficient with their time.
I've used Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping the last couple of years on various projects. I've used them for Spring yard clean up and lawn maintenance as well. I've also had them estimate a landscaping project in my backyard, but I ending up doing it myself. I've also had them plow my drive two years ago when I couldn't get my car out. He responded very quickly and helped me out tremendously! They always did their job very well and were very efficient with their time.
They have done whatever I have asked them to do.
They cut the grass and do some landscaping. I think that the workers are very responsive. I'm very particular about my yard, so I ask them to do several things in particular. They have done whatever I have asked them to do.
The quality of work has been excellent.
Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping has been a contractor to US Bank for 12 years. They have furnished services in the areas of landscaping and snow removal for twelve (12) of our branch facilities. Their service has been both dependable and timely; the quality of work has been excellent. I would highly recommend Tom Rice as a contractor.
Tom Rice is dependable, rain or shine.
Tom Rice is dependable, rain or shine. He and his company take excellent care of our lawn, and is always extremely cooperative in regards to our special requests.
A highly recommended contractor by our company.
Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping has done work for our company for 6 years. Since they have been with us they have done a great job in the areas of snow removal, landscaping and spring cleanup. This contractor is very dependable in all areas of service. Rice's Tree Service & Landscaping is a highly recommended contractor by our company.


Visiting Choquequirao means to combine archaeological, historical and ecological with adventure, because all these factors are present, making the experience unforgettable for all visitors.
Coming in through both Huanipaca or Cachora, reaching the Archaeological Complex implies a demanding walk, ideal for people trained or accustomed to walking; however the effort will be gratefully rewarded for the beautiful landscapes and for discovering the magical sanctuary of Choquequirao.
Tourist flow is incipient: Choquequirao receives about 6,000 tourists a year, mostly concentrated in the months of May to September (source: DDCCusco).
Therefore, Choquequirao is the ideal destination for travelers who enjoy exploring sites that are not crowded by the masses.
You can travel to Choquequirao all year round, keeping in mind that it is not advisable to do it in the months of January to April, due to the possibility of landslides caused by the rains.
Generally, during the day it is hot (20-25 °), with cold temperatures occurring at night (7 - 10 °); the average annual temperature is 16 ° C.
The heights of the route do not pass the 3,100 masl, not generating problems related to altitude sickness (soroche).
Lastly, we would suggest you TRAVELING TO CHOQUEQUIRAO ONLY WITH ORGANIZED TOURS THAT DEDICATE THE NECESSARY TIME TO VISIT THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPLEX!
We are struck by how the vast majority of visitors take 4 days on the road (two to go and two to go back) and only a few hours or maybe minutes (!) to enjoy exploring the different sectors of Choquequirao.
Remember that the archaeological site of Choquequirao needs a whole day to be visited; so large and scattered, is not easy to appreciate fully, each corner is reached and observed carefully. Choquequirao, with its charming details, is a continuous surprise and perhaps that the place "hurin", well known for the photo that is commonly used to identify Choquequirao, is the most tasteless place of the whole site.


Thanks for your two cents forum police cadet. Maybe one of the ftb admins can answer me or the other 3 members about open computers???
Let's keep this particular tone to a minimum. It probably wasn't intentional, but it won't be received well.
FTB won't be able to reply on a mod-by-mod basis. To determine if its "safe" the way you're hoping they'd need to look the mod over in detail, test it out, basically what they've been doing for months with the mods that are in the list.
Just throw it in and see what happens. Start a dedicated thread about it if you run into problems or want to share your experience. You're not the only person interested in OC, other people may want to discuss it in a proper thread.
I told myself I would stop using these forums but I have one last thing to say.
Of the 5 people constantly using the news threads you are the most awesome. Please keep up the good work! You always have good ideas and you definitely inspire creativity wich is really important.
Oh and calling him a cadet was totally intentional. Did you see his reply? ROFL like 4 times @me he is always quick to reply usually in a negative tone and acts like a know it all. That is 100% a butter bar. When I was enlisted in the military I met officers like him all the time lol.
@Pyure, while I try to stay out of the squabbling for the most part, the part quoted above is a little dismissive. Not completely analogous, but if I see a picture of an automobile and I'd like to know ahead of it's release date if it has heated seats -- I'm not asking them to jump through major hoops -- they already know if heated seats are in the car or not, or if it's a viable option for the vehicle. They don't need to deep dive an extra three weeks to answer the first part, which would be "is it even included". This does not mean they have to dive in to research whether or not adding heated seats after purchase might cause the car to combust, that understandably would take extra effort they may not be willing to invest at this point in time.
After a poster was mildly rebuffed for stating it should be relatively easy to just add it after the fact, and then the "proper" thing to do put forth was to ask a pack dev, some more barbs were tossed back and forth. However, I think it is a valid point that just getting a simple, straightforward answer to a question that is NOT "when will the pack be out" from an official source rather than another forum user is not only unhelpful, it is a bit frustrating. Town Hall meetings are increasingly less frequent, but with little to discuss, I understand this. People have lives outside of the game, I understand this as well. They are volunteers. Check. Given all that though, how hard is it for someone who actually has the authority to speak on the matter to say "yes" or "no" to the "Is the Open Computers mod in the Continuum(sp?) pack?"
Also, I know this could open a whole can of worms about "well, is mod X in the pack then?", "You answered that guy's question, why didn't you answer mine?", etc. If that's the main concern, that's cool too. But just have someone (like @Watchful11) spell that out for people, and the pages of back and forth quibbling can maybe stop so other users can actually hope to read something topical every once in a while.
Adding the mod as-is into a heavily modified progression pack I would think will almost CERTAINLY break progression, as any other expert-like pack I've seen has generally done things like replacing ingots with plates, or something similar. From what I've seen of Continuum, I would presume balancing OpenComputers would at minimum require some components to be manufactured in the efab with possibly modified recipes, instead of just whipped up on a crafting table.
In my opinion, just throwing the mod in with no tweaks will provide an imbalance with respect to automation at the very least.
If that's how it came across, I missed my mark. That would be my bad, particularly since you're making the point I've been spending time trying to drive home myself.
I do hope you read my last sentence where I encouraged the discussion to continue in greater detail on a dedicated thread.
Were are you hiding lol you seem very level headed. I'm adding you to my helpful people to read list. Your post above is absolutely perfect and what I look for on a forum. This isn't reddit people lol.
Also thanks for getting involved, it really does mean a lot to me.
In terms of terminology, do you feel there's a distinction between breaking "progression" and breaking "balance"? When I build a pack, I typically consider "breaking progression" to mean that you will be unable to progress down an expected chain because you removed a recipe or misplaced a prerequisite.
I think in this case you meant "breaking balance", with which I'd agree going by what you've described.
Except Your not buying anything from ftb. You bought Minecraft from the Mojang. They give you ftb for free. If a friend is making me a table for free out of the kindness of their heart I don't keep hounding them for a time of when it is done. No one on here is paying for these packs. There is no use comparing them to companies that sell products.
Not really got addicted to an ark playthrough. I was hoping Bentley was going to do a lp on ftb one but sadly not.
My LP world on Pyramid map Glitched and deleted all the machine, then spawned in concrete and terracotta every where. Funny seeing green concrete where my tin cables were.
But you'd still describe it as a pack that appeals to techie players? My background is mostly towards grindy tech packs (GT etc) but AoE was also fun if a bit lighter.
Yeah, I'd say so. It's got less direction than AoE, I'm not sure it would have the depth to keep you entertained, but I reckon it's worth you trying at least when it comes out.
Ark is Ark: Survival Evolved. Love dino. I am kind of digging there crafting system. Also that Skyblock spawning mats mod is pretty sweet I hope they let that one public. I would like to see what pack makers do with it. I could see a tech pack about keeping power supplied for Survival.
Well, breaking balance I think is also an appropriate term, but at least in my experience, something like computercraft/opencomputers allows a user to generally skip a lot of "you can't mine this yet" mechanics, or allows them to do something much quicker/afk than they'd otherwise be able to accomplish. In that sense, I think it does break progression because you effectively skip, or at least minimize, something that would otherwise gate your progress.
I wasn't considering it as much "breaking a chain" or sequence of quest events as much as I would "I normally wouldn't be able to safely mine below y:20 at this point, but these darn turtles make it easy as pie!"
That's what you took from my text?
For most Youtubers Breaking Progression means skipping paths the pack maker wanted to take. Most pack makers that do Progression packs go to great lengths to keep players from skipping past mods they are supposed to path through first. Examples would be Breaking Progression would be like using a IE hammer to keep from having to do IC2 where as breaking balance would be like the Mecreeps mod..rofl. You know like an item that is way to cheap and easy to get for the benefits it allows.
It was the only thing I had a problem with.


It's an especially cruel irony that the shower is one of the filthiest places in your bathroom. While you may be tempted to ignore the problem until your lease is up or your family's in town, doing so actually means that you're washing yourself with mold. Oh, I'll explain that one -- and many more gross-out items.
To find out more about all the terrifying things lurking in your shower, read on.
Let's start with the more obvious things that are making your bathing space totally disgusting, like that nasty shower curtain that's covered in moldy spots. Even the ones that bill themselves as "mold-free" will eventually develop a fungal growth that will turn plastic shower curtains into something resembling Gorgonzola. Keeping the shower curtain closed will help -- when the material folds back on itself, water will become trapped, making a welcoming home for mold and mildew.
Clean it up: Leave the curtain dangling on its rod, treat problem areas with a bleach-based spray cleaner, and use a sponge to scrub away mold and mildew; wash it in the machine using cold water, a small amount of detergent, and ½ cup of either bleach or white vinegar; or (let's level here) buy a new one.
"Shows what you know, lady! I don't use a shower curtain -- I have glass shower doors."
Okay Mister, now it's your turn! Glass shower doors are notorious for developing a patina of soap scum that creates a milky, cloudy appearance. In time, that soap scum will breed Serratia marcescens, which is a science-y term for that pinkish-orangeish bacteria so commonly found in bathrooms. Also, it's just ugly! To prevent soap scum and water spots from building up on glass shower doors, use a squeegee to wick away water and product run-off after showering.
Clean it up: This is weird but true: dryer sheets like Bounce can be used to scrub soap scum away. Wet the sheet and ball it up to use it just like you would a round net scrubber.
Just as with the shower curtain, your shower walls are probably streaked with soap scum which, over time, will lead to the development of mold, mildew, and bacteria. This is especially true of tiled showers, where porous grout likes to hang on to funky-looking spores.
Clean it up: A heavy-duty mold and mildew eliminator like X-14 will make short work of removing unsightly growth without requiring scrubbing on your part.
Go take a good look at your tub or the floor of your shower. What do you see there? A brown ring around the tub? Black marks where your dirty feet have stood? Hairs galore? The tub itself will get really grimy over time, which is annoying since it's the place you go to get clean!
Does water back up because of a slow-moving drain? Fix that. Backed-up water will leave behind product buildup that will make a mess of your tub.
Clean it up: Fill the tub with very hot water, add a large scoop of oxygenated bleach like Oxo Brite, and let it sit for 30 minutes. Drain the tub and use a sponge to quickly scrub away any residual buildup.
Rubber tub mats can help to prevent slipping in the shower, but they come at a cost. When was the last time you looked underneath that thing? Go ahead, I can wait.
Gross, right? Covered in mold and slightly slimy? Yuck, eew, nasty, gross gross gross!
Clean it up: Just like with grout, use a mold-and-mildew-eliminating spray to clean tub mats. Allow the cleaner to work for about 15 minutes before scrubbing with a sponge and rinsing with very hot water.
Here's a horrifying thought for you: bacterial growths like mold need two things to survive. Those things are food and water. They also love dark, warm places. That means your shower is like a luxury resort for mold, and that the plastic puffer that you use to scrub your body is especially attractive.
Why? Because your skin, as well as products like soap and body wash, serve as food for mold. That means, in turn, that every time you wash yourself with that puff, you're scrubbing your skin with mold. Lovely thought, isn't it!?
Clean it up: Wet the puff and microwave it for 30-60 seconds. Yes, microwave it!
The exact same thing applies to that loofah that's hanging out in your shower caddy -- it's almost certainly harboring a ton of bacteria. Make sure to clean your body-scrubbing tools at least once a month to keep cooties at bay.
Clean it up: Use the microwave method, or throw the loofah into the washing machine with a load of laundry, or run it through the dishwasher.
If you store a razor in the shower, it is very definitely disgusting. Not only will the buildup of shaving product and water residue lead to the development of bacteria, stray hairs will accumulate over time, leaving you with clumps of slimy hair embedded in the razor. Rinsing very well after use will help.
Clean it up: From time to time, it's not a bad idea to soak the razor in a half cup of white vinegar, which has disinfecting properties, to give it a good cleaning. Then, rinse well in hot water and gently, but firmly, knock the razor on the side of a trashcan to loosen and discard any whisker clumps.
Even plastic shampoo bottles will develop bacterial growth after extended exposure to the damp environs of your shower. To make matters even more fun, do you know that shampoo can expire? It can! After two years, you'll want to think about tossing that bottle of shampoo, which will lose its effectiveness over time.
Clean it up: If a bottle of shampoo has gotten a little ganky but is otherwise still good, wipe the exterior of the bottle, paying particular attention to the cap and underside, with a rag dampened with a small amount of white vinegar.
Most of us don't spend a lot of time gazing into our shower caddies, and that's probably for the best. They're seriously disgusting. Product buildup combined with pooled-up water makes for a nasty space in which to store your face wash. From time to time, it's a really good idea to remove them so that you can scrub the space where they meet the shower walls or tub edges.
Clean it up: Metal or plastic shower caddies can be washed by hand with hot soapy water, just like you'd wash a dish, or they can go right in the dishwasher.
Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert and advice columnist. Her shower is exceedingly clean. Follow her on Twitter: @joliekerr.


Central Iowa PRSA's OctoPRFest was not only the setting for insightful breakout sessions and networking opportunities, but also for awards.
Baillee Furst, of the Storm PRSSA chapter at Simpson College was the recipient of the Outstanding Student Award as part of the PRIME awards at the annual event for Public Relations professionals across Central Iowa.
Furst was nominated based on outstanding involvement in PRSSA activities and leadership across campus by Simpson chapter adviser and Public Relations professor Jane Murphy. The award candidates are voted on by a PRSA chapter outside of Iowa.
Former president of the Storm PRSSA chapter, Ashley Dalsing, also won Outstanding New Member of Central Iowa PRSA.
In addition to being involved in PRSSA activities, Furst also serves as the firm director of the C Street Agency, the student-run Public Relations firm at Simpson. She also works as the Digital Marketing intern for the Iowa Farm Bureau.
C Street Agency currently has 8 professional clients and is searching for more opportunities to grow and serve. In addition, The Simpson Storm PRSSA Chapter is always looking for PR professionals to speak at monthly chapter meetings. If you would be interested in sharing about your career or even leading a case study with students, contact chapter adviser Jane Murphy at jane.murphy@simpson.edu.
Wartburg College PRSSA held workshops with professionals in videography, graphic design, and copywriting in September and October. The chapter is planning a November "agency crawl" that will consist of visits with public relations professionals at KIMT-TV in Mason City, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and one other location that is yet to be determined. The Tower Agency, Wartburg's student-run public relations firm, recently helped a Wartburg biology professor utilize video in a major grant application, supported local classical music and non-profit organizations gain awareness of their programming, and created materials for the Journalism & Communication Department's internal and external branding.
This school year we have been very focused on growing our chapter enrollment. After collecting all dues for fall, we officially have 33 paid members (28 new this fall). Nonmembers may take part in regular meetings; however, we strongly encourage official PRSSA membership, as paid members have the opportunities to take part in agency tours and limited-access meetings.
Our first limited-access meeting this fall was a mock career fair on Sept. 12. Professionals from Meyocks, Two Rivers Marketing, Performance Marketing and REG participated, as did ISU chapter liaisons Rob Schweers and Annette Hacker. Students engaged in mock interviews and received feedback on their performance, resumes and cover letters. This event was held two weeks before the ISU Career Fair and provided an excellent opportunity for students to practice their interview skills and receive constructive feedback.
Our first fundraiser of the year was held at Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in Campustown. After a weekly meeting, students gathered for food and conversation and a percentage of proceeds were donated to our chapter. Our second fundraiser will be held at Hilton Coliseum working the concessions for ISU men's basketball.
We continue to have great success in bringing guest speakers to meetings. This year we have been fortunate enough to have Katie Stanley from REG, Nina Ford with Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Taren Crow representing Iowa State Career Services, Alison Cate with Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa, Luke Matthews from the Des Moines Radio Group and coming up, PR consultant Ann Appleseth.
The executive team is excited to see our growing member base. We are now working toward membership retention. We recently expanded our executive team from five positions to six, adding a recruitment chair.
Iowa State PRSSA will tour Kansas City agencies this spring.
We look forward to continued growth and are thankful for your support.
This semester, the Drake University PRSSA chapter has been doing pro bono work for VoteSmart, a nonprofit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. VoteSmart has its headquarters adjacent to the Drake campus. Drake PRSSA members are creating flyers and brochures for high schools across the country, writing letters-to-the editor for newspapers and crafting a plan to help VoteSmart build media relations and garner more news coverage in the Des Moines area, as the next caucus season quickly approaches.
In early October, chapter leaders delivered a presentation at the PRSSA National Conference in Austin, Texas. They spoke about the chapter's fundraising challenges, what they have done to overcome these hurdles, and shared fundraising ideas for other chapters across the nation. This is the fourth time in the past five years that the Drake PRSSA chapter has been chosen to speak at the PRSSA National Conference.
For the rest of fall semester, Drake PRSSA will continue its work with VoteSmart, conduct a crisis simulation exercise with its members, and host Corey Carlson, a grant specialist at Physio Control in Minneapolis, as a featured speaker in November.
*Please Note: University of Iowa and University of Northern Iowa are not represented in this update.


text:
The Jacobs Brown Press imprint was launched with the objective to specialize in publishing non-fiction focusing on television, motion pictures, music, and the people within the entertainment industry. Jacobs Brown's mission is to publish only meticulously-researched historical "biographies" designed to dispel folklore and shed new light on events from America's pop cultural past.
The Jacobs Brown Press inaugural publication is the epic story of the most-watched television show in the history of the medium – Star Trek: The Original Series. The three-book set, These Are the Voyages – TOS: Season One, followed by Season Two, and Season Three, will boldly go where no books have gone before with Star Trek. See Reviews


text:
Number of migrants crossing dangerous Darien Gap soars: UNHCR
UN refugee agency says number of people taking the Panamanian jungle route tripled so far this year compared with 2021.
UNHCR said 8,456 people crossed the dangerous jungle area between Colombia and Panama in the two first months of this year, compared with 2,928 in the first two months of 2021.
About the Darien Gap:
The Darien Gap, a stretch of mountainous jungle 160km (100 miles) long and 50km (30 miles) wide, is controlled by criminal groups known for acts of violence, including sexual abuse and robbery. To cross, migrants also must tackle natural hazards.
It sits on the border between Panama and Colombia.
Largely untouched by the modern world, the Darien is one of the least visited places on the planet.
The Darien National Park and biosphere has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.
Warm Arctic waves, La Niña to blame for early heat waves, depressions: Experts
Population of one-horned rhinos rises by 200 at Kaziranga National Park
Energy transition holds key to tackle global energy and climate crisis: IRENA
'Historic injustice': Biden makes lynching a US hate crime
Unreformable criminal justice


text:
Best Defense: Cassidy's study of AfPak COIN: A review Cassidy's study of AfPak COIN: A...
Cassidy's study of AfPak COIN: A review
By LTC Kevin D. Stringer, Ph.D., USAR Best Defense guest book reviewer Robert Cassidy's War, Will and Warlords, (PDF will soon be made available for free), a study of counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is a must read for all scholars, policymakers, diplomats, and military practitioners seeking to understand the Afghanistan-Pakistan nexus. Cassidy provides a ...
| April 2, 2012, 10:20 AM
By LTC Kevin D. Stringer, Ph.D., USAR
Best Defense guest book reviewer
Robert Cassidy's War, Will and Warlords, (PDF will soon be made available for free), a study of counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is a must read for all scholars, policymakers, diplomats, and military practitioners seeking to understand the Afghanistan-Pakistan nexus. Cassidy provides a number of salient points concerning uneven U.S. involvement in the region, the contradictions of Pakistan, and the counterinsurgency (COIN) approaches implemented on both sides of the porous region between the two states.
For the United States, Cassidy offers insights into how short-term and ill-advised American policies — the support of the mujahedeen and Pakistani President Zia to name just two — created the conditions that spawned Al-Qaeda and provided the Taliban on both sides of the Pashtun frontier a popular support base. Cassidy further demonstrates how U.S. financial aid underwrites Pakistan's military expenditures against India, which destabilizes the entire region.
Concerning Pakistan, the author explores its security policies, and how they contradict American strategy. Pakistan is Janus — one "face" grudgingly supporting the United States with the Pakistani Army conducting operations against the Taliban on its side of the border, while the Pakistani intelligence service "face" promotes and supports the Afghan Taliban as a proxy against the Karzai government and India on the other side.
In his discussion of counterinsurgency, Cassidy illustrates that both the American and Pakistani militaries struggle in these operations because of embedded institutional and structural propensities for conventional war. For legitimacy, the insurgents challenge the Afghan and Pakistani administrations in the outlying tribal regions given low governmental presence and high levels of endemic corruption. For this theme, I would have liked to see the author engage in a more detailed critique of the quality of Afghan forces being trained by the United States for pacification efforts — are they "shake and bake" or competent troops? Similarly, Cassidy's sober assessment of the capacity building projects executed to date would have added greater insight to campaign progress. These omissions left me with an uneasy feeling that Coalition and Afghan government efforts may not be as positive as described in the text.
The book is well-researched, and the author's soldier-scholar credentials are impeccable. Colonel Cassidy is a military professor at the U.S. Naval War College with both scholarship and experience in irregular warfare and stability operations. With a PhD from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, he has served as a special assistant to two general officers, a special operations strategist, and published two previous books, one on peacekeeping and the other on counterinsurgency.
My one major concern with the book is the chosen publisher, the Marine Corps University Press, whose marketing capacities may limit its wider dissemination. This book definitely deserves a broad readership given its relevance to U.S. policy-making in the region and future military campaigns.
Kevin D. Stringer, PhD, is an associate professor at Webster University, Geneva campus, and a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Tags: Afghanistan, Arab World, Middle East, Military, Pakistan


Is this you? Purchasing "guru". Relationship builder. Go getter. Do you enjoy building relationships and have a high level of integrity and sense of urgency? If so, then you could be our next Buyer at Welbilt's Mississauga facility.
As Buyer - you will be responsible for all necessary purchasing activities for Garland Operation's warehouse activities. This position will work directly with the operations team, solving issues and improving processes to ensure smooth efficient fulfillment of customer orders.
Reporting directly to the Materials Manager; this position is located in Mississauga, ON*.
Releasing supplier schedules and discrete orders to suppliers to support manufacturing, as well as expediting and following up on past due orders to meet assembly requirements.
Review planning parameters and make changes to improve material flow and inventory levels.
Work with suppliers to improve on-time delivery, quality issues, reduced lead times, and minimum buys.
Assist / perform as required QAD planning parameters and system setup to support efficient order fulfillment.
Maintain an organized and clean work area and set an example for fellow staff members with a 5S approach.
Develop open and transparent communications with peers within the Materials team as well as other functional areas.
Bachelor's degree, preferably in Business Administration; with a minimum of three years of manufacturing/materials planning and scheduling experience is required. Will consider a minimum of eleven years of manufacturing/materials planning and scheduling experience in lieu of education.
Experience working with Microsoft Project and Microsoft Office Suite: Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
Ability to function as part of multiple teams in a fast paced and multi-tasking environment.
Must be highly organized and comfortable working with tight deadlines.
Must be motivated and passionate about the work content.
*Welbilt – Mississauga, Ontario Canada manufactures a full line of commercial ovens, ranges, griddles, grills & counter top cooking equipment (including food warmers, cheesemelters, deck-type gas ovens, countertop electric ovens, refrigerated worktables, equipment stands, refrigerated equipment stands, fryers, griddles, hotplates, deck-type electric ovens, restaurant electric ranges, heavy-duty electric ranges, charbroilers, convection ovens, heavy-duty gas ranges, restaurant gas ranges, stock pot stoves, broilers & salamanders.


Here is a great new spin on a burger to try this summer. Instead of ground beef, this burger uses salmon. A food processor is your friend here to get the salmon into something that can be formed into a paddy. Try something new with your burger!
Cut salmon into 2″ pieces. Transfer one-third of salmon (about 8 oz.) to a food processor and process, scraping down sides, until mixture is very smooth and paste-like. Add remaining salmon and pulse 4–5 times until pieces are no bigger than ¼" (be careful not to make it too smooth). Transfer to a large bowl.
Mix in scallion greens, ginger, garlic, 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise, and 1 tsp. salt; toss to combine. Form mixture into 4 patties about ¾" thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 3 (you'll want to chill the patties so that they hold their shape before getting cooked).


Mohawk, the brand behind Strathmore's Pure cotton fine art paper is donating a free custom 8×10 print that can be ordered exclusively though FinerWorks. This will be available for a limited time only until we go through the rolls of paper Mohawk, generously provided.
Dropbox is now integrated with FinerWorks. Uploading files to FinerWorks can be a pain if you prefer to keep then on a cloud storage service like Dropbox rather than on your computer or mobile device. Many of our customers who use Dropbox have asked us to make this easier so they can upload those files to FinerWorks direct from Dropbox.
We just launched a new feature at FinerWorks which allows anyone to take advantage of a vast library of stock imagery. It is called, for lack of originality now, Find Print Art. We partnered with Shutterstock, one of the leading providers of stock imagery and have integrated a section on the FinerWorks website that allows anyone to search and find images for just about any topic and theme you can imagine.


text:
Fayçal Baghriche
Born in 1972 in Skikda, Algeria, Faiçal Baghriche studied at the Villa Arson in Nice (France), then moved to Paris where he currently lives. His work has been presented in numerous exhibitions in France and abroad, notably at the Delfina Foundation in London, the Kunstverein Bielefelder (Germany), the Malmö Konstmuseum (Sweden), at the Centro Pecci in Prato (Italy), the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Algiers, the Arab Image Foundation in Beirut, the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston, etc. He has participated in the Venice, Dakar and Gwangju Biennials, and the Sorocoba Triennial in Brazil.
Curator : Martin Le Chevallier
EXHIBITION'S VENUE
Complexe Guy-Favreau
sat 2 mar 2019_18:00


text:
Csemernica () falu Horvátországban Verőce-Drávamente megyében. Közigazgatásilag Verőcéhez tartozik.

Fekvése
Verőce központjától 4 km-re délkeletre, Nyugat-Szlavóniában, a Drávamenti-síkság szélén, a 2-es számú, drávamenti főút és a Zágráb-Eszék vasútvonal mentén fekszik.

Története
Csemernica még pusztaként a 19. században keletkezett a Jankovich család birtokán. Lakói többségben magyarok voltak. Az I. világháború előtt már magyar tannyelvű ún. Julián-iskolája is volt, melynek tanítója 1914-ben Hochholzer József volt. Az iskolában népkönyvtár és ifjúsági könyvtár is működött. Lakosságát csak 1953-ban számlálták meg önállóan először, amikor 160-an lakták. Mai arculata 1955 körül alakult ki, amikor a horvát Zagorje területéről új betelepülő családok érkeztek. 1972-ben a Dráva elöntötte Lanka-Lešovo települést, melynek lakói kárpótlásul ugyancsak itt kaptak földeket. A lakosság száma főként a megyeszékhely közelsége miatt ezután is dinamikusan emelkedett. 1987-ben felépítették a Keresztelő Szent János templomot. Még ez évben elkezdték a közösségi ház építését is, mely végül 2013-ban fejeződött be. 1991-ben 510 főnyi lakosságának 78%-a horvát, 14%-a szerb nemzetiségű volt. Kialakították a területi iskolát, melybe ma mintegy 30 diák jár. Játszóteret építettek és rendezték az iskola környékét. 2007-ben kiépítették a csatornahálózatot. 2011-ben falunak 653 lakosa volt.

Lakossága

(1953-tól 1971-ig településrészként, 1981-ben részben Verőce részeként, 1991-től önálló településként.)

Nevezetességei
Keresztelő Szent János tiszteletére szentelt római katolikus temploma 1987-ben épült.

Oktatás
A településen már a 20. század elején működött Julián-iskola. Elemi iskolája ma is működik.

Jegyzetek

Források
A község hivatalos honlapja
A Délvidék történeti földrajza Nyíregyháza, 2006.

További információk
A megye turisztikai irodájának honlapja

Verőce-Drávamente megye települései

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia