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More Brain Death At NATO
Two years ago France President Macron diagnosed NATO's 'brain death':
"What we are currently experiencing is the brain death of Nato," Mr Macron told the London-based newspaper.
He warned European members that they could no longer rely on the US to defend the alliance, established at the start of the Cold War to bolster Western European and North American security.
Since then NATO's condition has further deteriorated.
The second biggest army under NATO command, Turkey's, is now hostile to the U.S. which continues to support PKK terrorists who are fighting against the Turkish state. Since the 2016 coup attempt against President Erdogan Turkey had leaned towards Russia. It has bought Russian air defense systems which enables it to defend itself against NATO attacks. The relations with the U.S. and with NATO have since further declined.
Macron's diagnose came when the U.S. pulled some forces out of Syria. The NATO allies had not been informed about the move. This year's U.S. retreat from Afghanistan was likewise not communicated before its announcement even as NATO had an official mission in Afghanistan. Getting ignored by the U.S. does not create the trust needed for an enduring military partnership.
Then came the new AUKUS alliance which put the U.S. focus on China while screwing France out of a huge submarine contract with Australia.
When U.S. President Biden called Macron to apologize for the insult Macron gained a statement of U.S. support for an independent European army:
The United States also recognizes the importance of a stronger and more capable European defense, that contributes positively to transatlantic and global security and is complementary to NATO.
The folks at NATO's headquarter in Brussels will have read that with deep fears. A separate European Union army, which France has long promoted, will inevitably diminish NATO's role.
NATO's original mission, to keep the U.S. in Europe, to keep Russia out of Europe and to hold Germany down, has withered away. The U.S. is concentrating on China and will do so for the foreseeable future. Russia is no longer interested in Europe. Germany is militarily irrelevant, has an aging population and no interest in any expansion.
With Russia having no interest in Europe NATO also lost its favored enemy. While the Baltic states, Poland and the United Kingdom are still hyping Russia as an enemy - mostly for domestic reasons - no one in Italy, France or Germany believes that Russia has plans to attack anyone.
The NATO bureaucrats know all this. To stay in business they continue to lash out at Russia. Most recently by sending some Russian diplomats at NATO's headquarter back home without any sane reason. Russia wasn't impressed by the move. It has resolved to from now on ignore NATO:
Russia plans to cease its diplomatic engagement with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Russian foreign minister said on Monday, in the latest sign of unraveling relations between Moscow and the West.
By early next month, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, Russia will halt the activities of its representative office at NATO headquarters in Brussels and withdraw diplomatic credentials from emissaries of the alliance working in Moscow.
Earlier this month, NATO ordered eight Russian diplomats to leave Belgium by Nov. 1, saying they were undeclared intelligence officers. The alliance also reduced the size of the Russian representative office.
Relations with the alliance had in any case long ago gone off the rails, he said. NATO had already twice reduced the size of the Russian delegation, in 2015 and 2018, he said. "On the military level there are absolutely no contacts taking place," he said.
He said NATO had set up a "prohibitive regime" for Russian diplomats in Brussels by banning them from its headquarters building. Without visiting the building, he said, they could not maintain ties with alliance officials.
Mr. Lavrov suggested the expulsions of Russian diplomats had come as an unwelcome surprise, as he had met in New York just days earlier with the alliance's secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, and discussed de-escalating tensions.
"He in every way underscored the honest, as he said, interest in the North Atlantic alliance in normalizing relations with the Russian Federation," Mr. Lavrov said.
Since his surprise move against Russian diplomats NATO's secretary general has visited the U.S. where he received new marching orders. He announced these in an interview (paywalled) with the Financial Times. Alex Lantier takes it apart:
Speaking yesterday to the Financial Times of London, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg demanded that the military alliance intensify its threats against China. His remarks highlighted both the extremely aggressive policy pursued by the NATO alliance and explosive divisions emerging among the NATO imperialist powers.
Stoltenberg was returning from a meeting with Biden in Washington, where he also spoke at Georgetown University, provocatively demanding that NATO "step up and do more" to allow countries on Russia's borders to join the NATO alliance. His Financial Times interview was a barely disguised message from the White House calling for the EU powers to fall in line with the mounting US war drive targeting China.
NATO, Stoltenberg insisted, should target not only Russia but China as well. He criticized "this whole idea of in a way distinguishing so much between China, Russia, either Asia-Pacific or Europe," adding, "it's one big security environment, and we have to address it all together. … It's about strengthening our alliance to face any potential threat."
He denounced China, claiming it was a major security threat in Europe.
Good luck with selling that to European taxpayers. China is by no means a security threat to Europe. Certainly none which a military alliance bound to the North Atlantic's geography has to or can confront. China has good relations with most European countries, is trading with all of them and is Germany's largest customer.
NATO was created when it was in the common interests of its members to counter the Soviet Union.
With regards to China U.S. and European interests diverge strongly. What the U.S. sees as a serious competitor to its outsized role in the world is seen in Europe as a non aggressive partner that creates new economic opportunities.
During next years NATO summit in Madrid the U.S. will want to put China firmly on NATO's agenda. But I highly doubt that the European NATO countries will commit to anything but mealy mouthed statements. They will certainly not cough up money to create new NATO capabilities that could actually be used against China.
NATO is dead. It has outlived its purpose and utility.
To keep peace in Europe the creation of a new military cooperation framework in parallel to the European Union makes much more sense. It should not be the aggressive imperial force France envisions to defend its interest in Africa. To keep peace within Europe a defensive cooperation, operationally limited to its members' European geography, makes the most sense. The incoming new German government could take the initiative to create it.
Posted by b on October 19, 2021 at 17:31 UTC | Permalink
But... erm.. Danged if I can understand what kinda stupid game Erdogan thinks he's playing here.. Warning Turkey Could Deploy Heavy Weaponry Against Syria.. unless he's in cahoots with the US terror proxies all along..
Russia should kick his treacherous ass out. https://sputniknews.com/20211021/erdogan-warns-turkey-could-deploy-heavy-weaponry-against-syrian-army-1090096690.html
Posted by: Barrie VVeiss | Oct 21 2021 16:23 utc | 101
BM @ 73
"was likewise not communicated before its [public] announcement."
I would disagree. An announcement is a specific type of communication, ie public.
The default assumption in context is that was discussed by the stakeholders beforehand. Then announced.
Hence the problemo.
Posted by: David G Horsman | Oct 21 2021 16:54 utc | 102
Barrie VVeiss @Oct21 16:23 #101:... unless he's in cahoots with the US terror proxies all along.
I see too many inconsistencies to believe otherwise.
Now he's creating an economic crisis in Turkey by lowering rates. The resulting instability will then lead him to act aggressively elsewhere to distract the public and shore up his regime. Typical.
Cui bono? (besides Erdogan himself, of course)
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Oct 21 2021 17:21 utc | 103
NATO can become an impotent zombie but it can't die. It's the basis for too much money to be dropped on our munitions industry and our primary policy is to ensure that special interests never suffer any financial loss.
Posted by: Hart Liss | Oct 21 2021 19:24 utc | 104
When discussing NATO and it's viability, I think it's important to remember that it was, at least is part, a reaction to the North Atlantic agreement between Canada and Sweden. And those Nordic countries in-between. We all needed a little fortification against the seat of the empire, which at the time was the British monarch. Maybe Patrick Armstrong or someone from CAF could give us a history lesson… and a sitrep ??
Posted by: Bruised Northerner | Oct 21 2021 19:37 utc | 105
What exactly would happen if an American was overtly put in charge of Nato? It has been hiding behind various European appointees over the years. We don't see the US 'Nato' forces of Europe marching together ceremoniously in the various nations which they are integral militarily to.
Given that a large proportion of defence spending ends up in the US based MIC the case of having the yanks defend Europe from an extinct ussr is nullified. Decades ago!
Most citizens aware of just that fact would say thanks Yankee cousins again for saving us ...but you can go home and rest. Bye.
There used to be talk of 'Fortress Europe' at the end of the last millennium- which was about keeping the rest of the world poor enough so they would be encouraged to migrate to the safe secure wealthy Western Europe of the Empires, always keeping a healthy supply of cheap labour to do the dirty work. This seemed to have a line drawn at the Bosphorus. With the Turks to guard the wall. I guess there was also a desire to extend Europe officially to the southern Mediterranean, but as they say the best laid plans ..
Posted by: D.G. | Oct 21 2021 21:53 utc | 106
RE: Posted by: karlof1 | Oct 19 2021 23:48 utc | 47
"Who knows, maybe his crap was the last straw? "
The "estimation" of the agency and significance of others and themselves often prove difficult for would be "exceptionalists".
They often attempt to censor such notions thereby illustrating their ignorance of some benefits of the "surveillance state" :
"RE: susan mullen
"Why does Mr. Putin continue to allow NED to operate in Russia?"
Thank you for your acknowledgement of the culture of others by usage of Mr. Putin rather than Putin.
However you appear simultaneously to be immersed in the illusion that "decision making" in the Russian Federation is restricted to Mr. Putin or President Putin.
To address some other aspects of your question in modified form:
"Why does the Russian Federation continue to allow various organisations to operate in the Russian Federation ?"
Doing so aids facilitation of some purposes of The Russian Federation, and when this is no longer the case, various organisations are no longer allowed to operate in the Russian Federation.
However those who were/are of the belief that "The United States of America won the cold war (which was never cold)" or that "The United States of America controlled/controls Russia during the 1990's and subsequent" do not deem this to be "plausible belief" - hence the inclusion of comments in Mr. Lawrence's observation entitled Psyops and elsewhere, here and there."
Why not try another speculation?
Posted by: MagdaTam | Oct 22 2021 10:50 utc | 107
Further to my comment @105 — While I'd still like to hear the perspective of Patrick Armstrong or his Canadian, Swedish or Nordic equivalent, I can't see Canada and Sweden breaking their mutual defence ties or whatever the ties are precisely. So. I don't understand European politics nearly well enough to speculate what that might mean for NATO or other trans-Atlantic defence agreements.
Today, Lavrov spoke to the BEAC Barents Euro-Arctic Council. He gave a very user-friendly Q&A session:
https://www.mid.ru/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/4915394?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw&_101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw_languageId=en_GB
And here is an nice overview in an infographic about BEAC: https://www.barentsinfo.fi/beac/docs/Barents_Cooperation_OnePager_2019.pdf


Why is my stack cutting off a bit of the embed?
Why is my embed not responsive?
Flash Embed allows you to easily embed any SWF Flash file onto your website. The Flash file could be anything that you want (video, slideshow, games, etc.). Flash Embed will take whatever SWF file you have an embed it directly on to your stacks page.


British MVNO Virgin Mobile has announced that it has signed up to the Bebo Open Mobile programme.
The deal will see Virgin Mobile and Bebo collaborate to set up Bebo Open Mobile Internet, which will customise the Bebo mobile website with Virgin Mobile specific navigation, advertising and bookmarks. Bebo Open Mobile Messaging will also be rolled out to Virgin Mobile customers, allowing them to receive alerts and send updates by text message using the short code 22326.


text:
Michael M. Uhlmann on "The Struggle Ahead"
November 29, 2018 / TeeJaw / No Comments
The Struggle Ahead is the name of a talk by Michael M. Uhlmann, born in 1939. Mr. Uhlmann is Professor of Government in the Department of Politics and Government at Claremont Graduate University and Claremont McKenna College.
Mr. Uhlmann recently received the Claremont Institute's Henry Salvatori Prize for helping to secure the teachings of the American founding.
Having been born in 1939 Uhlmann came of age in the 1950s and has witnessed much of the heated and raucous domestic turmoil that descended on America in the 1960s and has continued on what seems a non-ending upward path to the present day. Mr. Uhlmann gave a talk after receiving his honors which he named, The Struggle Ahead.
The struggle to which he refers is the necessary goal of restoring the Constitutional order that so well served the American people for at least 200 hundred years before the present bout of radical politics fell upon us like a load of bricks about 50 years ago. It's not that we haven't had struggles in the past. We fought a bloody civil war over what kind of a country we would be.
The present push into a dark future will be no easier than those in the past except that this one threatens to change America forever into something it has never been and never should be.
We are in a genuine crisis for the soul of America. Mr. Uhlmann says:
First, I think it beyond argument that we do face a genuine crisis, that it is very deep, and that it is essentially moral and intellectual rather than merely political in the narrow sense of that term. I also think that conditions are likely to get worse before we see improvement. But when and if the denouement arrives, I believe the resolution will strain our constitutional order as nothing before. I say this because a significant percentage of the population seems to have lost faith in the foundations of the American constitutional order. That should not be altogether surprising, inasmuch as they have been badly tutored. The loudest and most influential among their instructors have argued for two generations or more that the Founders' Constitution is not merely mistaken in this or that feature, but is fundamentally flawed, even illegitimate. For many if not most left-wing intellectuals it is seen as an anti-democratic plot foisted upon naïve citizens by corrupt white males. This disposition, once the more or less exclusive property of hot-headed pamphleteers, agitators, and the professoriate, has surfaced increasingly in the rhetoric of prominent public officials, who disparage the Constitution they have taken a solemn oath to protect and defend.
The Constitution of their oath, however, is not the constitution that attracts their loyalty. Their constitution does not derive from the laws of Nature and Nature's God; and it is certainly not devoted to securing natural rights and limited government. Theirs, rather, is a constitution in thrall to the prospect of perpetual change and ever-expanding government. This view of constitutional things in the United States was born over a century ago in the writings of leading Progressive thinkers and politicians. They set about to alter the foundations of the American regime, and to a remarkable degree they have succeeded. Their teaching dominates schooling at every level, book publishing, the news media, and popular culture. Despite occasional setbacks, the Progressive chattering class seems confident that its agenda will remain in the vanguard of American political culture. The election of Donald Trump, however, and now the prospect of a conservative Supreme Court, appear to have sapped their self-assurance and triggered a heavy bout of "Trump Derangement Syndrome." Something seems to have gone awry with History's inexorable march toward a Progressive utopia. That explains, I think, why so many Progressive thinkers and politicians have recently become bolder and nastier in expressing negative opinions about their country.
Uhlmann looks to the Kavanaugh hearings as the current example of the newspeak of fevered leftist politicians. They have abandoned the decorum of the past and now proudly and loudly spew their hatred of America's founding principles. To them the Constitution is an evil document because it places limits on the power of government and requires the government to respect the natural rights of its citizens. Those rights do not come from government but, as set forth in the Declaration of Independence, they are endowed upon us by our creators.
Thus, for today's so-called "progressives" the Constitution has no value except as they can manipulate it to serve their own ends. They mean to achieve their ends by any means necessary. In their minds the means, any means, are always justified if they lead to their favored ends, intros case, a totalitarian regime they alone control.
Mr. Uhlmann predicts a long and dangerous struggle ahead to save America from the dystopian future progressives envision for us. He offers three observations that underscores his belief that we are now engaged in a battle for America's constitutional soul.
First, you will note how little Kavanaugh's opponents had to say about the merits or demerits of his more than 300 judicial opinions as an appellate judge, or the jurisprudence that informed them. There was good reason for this tactic. His critics knew perfectly well that Judge Kavanaugh could more than hold his own on any important legal subject, and for that reason, they avoided engaging him in a manner likely to enhance his credentials to sit on the High Court. For Kavanaugh's opponents (including the 2400 professors who signed a letter saying he was unfit to hold office) the nomination fight was only incidentally a debate about differing theories of constitutional interpretation; it was fundamentally a battle about judicial will and power. The hearings reveal, it seems to me, that today's Progressives have completely internalized the central premise of legal realism and jurisprudential positivism, namely, that the law is what judges say it is. The Progressive constitutional cat, so to speak, is now out of the bag.
Lest I reprint Mr. Uhlmann's entire speech here, please go directly to it for Uhlmann's description of the second and third modes of descending darkness the progressives want to impose on America. The rest of his speech offers a hopeful plan for how we who still believe in America can fight to reverse the current trends of destruction by radical leftists.
The featured image at the top of this post is "Political Chaos Theory" by Hans-Peter Fleps, You can buy a 30X40 of this painting at Saatchi Art. Wouldn't it look great in Kamala Harris' Senate Office!
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
December 2021 PIB Gazette – This & That
putinbay.com is proud to present the Put-in-Bay Gazette's "This & That". For the best South Bass Island journalism, visit putinbay.news and subscribe to the Gazette today!
This & That on Put-in-Bay for December 2021
Halloween this year was fun! The weather was cool for the great Kids Halloween Parade in DeRivera Park on Saturday, Oct. 30th, and even nicer the next night when the little ones, and some big ones, too, combed the island trick or treating. The kids also got to start trick or treating an hour earlier this year. The guys at the hardware store published an island map showing where kids could get treats. We heard Martin Ketchem and his helpers Aaron Schroeder and Nancy Tanner had a very scary show for the kids on Mikes Drive on East Point. Glenn Cooper was also up to his old scary tricks. While the kids were at the front door getting treats, he would sneak into their car and when they went to get back in, he'd scare the living daylights out of them.
If you see Kelly Faris this month, wish him some of the best. He turns 80 on Wednesday, December 8th.
The 2021 Lake Erie algal bloom turned out to be more severe than scientists predicted. The 2021 cyanobacterial bloom ended up measuring a 6.0, or moderately severe. This year's Lake Erie bloom was slow to develop (late July), and reached a peak from late August to early September, mostly in U.S. waters.
Rich and Carol Roberts from the West Shore tell us they are going to stay on the island this winter. It's the first time for the longtime summer residents. Stephanie Thanasiu tells us she'll be on the island, too. We wish them all the best of luck!
EnviroScience was on the island the first week in November to remove invasive amur honeysuckle from the Cooper's Woods and Benjamin Woods Preserves. Thanks to The Conservation Fund for the restoration funds.
As we go to press, we learned of the passing of Terri Moore, a former owner of Maple Cottage. There will be an obituary in next month's issue.
Matthew Stacy has already begun posting on social media about jobs available at Perry's Cave Family Fun Center this coming season. Many island and summer cottage youngsters starting as young as 12 years old have had summer jobs there over the years.
If you are looking for accommodations this winter, Commodore Resort is open.
Mostly Cloudy / Wind


text:
% any.pl
% Dec 13, 2035
% Douglas Miles
%
% This file defines the basic ANY verb that has the four elements of
%
%  action_requires_states(Agent,StateRules,REQS),
%  action_removes_states(Agent,StateRules,REMS),
%  states_types(Agent,StateRules,TYPES),
%  action_adds_states(Agent,StateRules,ADDS),
%

% :-swi_module(user).
:- swi_module(any, []).

:- include(prologmud(mud_header)).

% :- register_module_type (mtCommand).
action_rules(_,_,_,_):-fail.

to_verb_args(Act,List):-safe_univ(Act,List).

action_adds_states(Agent,Action,A):- action_rules(Agent,VERB,SENT,StateRules),to_verb_args(Action,[VERB|SENT]), member(+(A),StateRules).
action_removes_states(Agent,Action,A):- action_rules(Agent,VERB,SENT,StateRules),to_verb_args(Action,[VERB|SENT]), member(-(A),StateRules).
action_requires_states(Agent,Action,A):- action_rules(Agent,VERB,SENT,StateRules),to_verb_args(Action,[VERB|SENT]),member(?(A),StateRules).

:- op(200,fy,'?').
==>action_rules(Agent,actTestWield,[Obj],[?mudPossess(Agent,Obj),?isa(Obj,tUseAble),-mudStowing(Agent,Obj),+mudWielding(Agent,Obj)]).
==>action_rules(Agent,actTestStow,[Obj],[?mudPossess(Agent,Obj),?isa(Obj,tStowAble),?genlPreds(Using,'mudControls'),
  - t(Using,Agent,Obj),+mudStowing(Agent,Obj)]).

guess_verb_template(Action):-
       action_rules(_Agent,Verb,Args,ListA),
       once((to_verb_args(Action,[Verb|Args]),
            must(attempt_attribute_args(_AndOr,ftAskable,ListA)),
            must(term_variables(ListA,Vars)),
            must(attribs_to_atoms(Vars,Vars)))).

% Use something
agent_call_command(Agent,ACT) :-
   call((action_rules(Agent,VERB,SENT,_StateRules),safe_univ(ACT,[VERB|SENT]))),

      action_requires_states(Agent,[VERB|SENT],REQS),
      action_removes_states(Agent,[VERB|SENT],REMS),
      action_adds_states(Agent,[VERB|SENT],ADDS),
     call_update_charge(Agent,VERB),
     ((
         req1(REQS)) ->
         ((clr(REMS),
         ain(ADDS),
         call_update_charge(Agent,VERB)));
%Nothing to use
      (add_cmdfailure(Agent,SENT))).

:- include(prologmud(mud_footer)).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Detection of Integrin beta 1/CD29 in Human PBMCs by Flow Cytometry. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stained with Mouse Anti-Human Integrin beta 1/CD29 Monoclonal Antibody (Catalog # MAB17781, filled histogram) or isotype control antibody (Catalog # MAB002, open histogram), followed by Phycoerythrin-conjugated Anti-Mouse IgG Secondary Antibody (Catalog # F0102B ).
Detection of Integrin beta 1/CD29 in Human PBMCs by Flow Cytometry. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stained with Mouse Anti-Human Integrin beta 1/CD29 Monoclonal Antibody (Catalog # MAB1778, filled histogram) or isotype control antibody (Catalog # MAB002, open histogram), followed by Phycoerythrin-conjugated Anti-Mouse IgG Secondary Antibody (Catalog # F0102B ).
Detection of Integrin beta 1/CD29 in Human PBMCs by Flow Cytometry. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stained with Mouse Anti-Human Integrin beta 1/CD29 PE-conjugated Monoclonal Antibody (Catalog # FAB17781P, filled histogram) or isotype control antibody (Catalog # IC002P, open histogram). View our protocol for Staining Membrane-associated Proteins .
The Integrin beta-1 antibody from Proteintech is a rabbit polyclonal antibody to a recombinant protein of human Integrin beta-1. This antibody recognizes human,mouse,rat antigen. The Integrin beta-1 antibody has been validated for the following applications: ELISA, IHC, WB analysis.
The Integrin beta-1 antibody from Proteintech is a rabbit polyclonal antibody to a fusion protein of human Integrin beta-1. This antibody recognizes human antigen. The Integrin beta-1 antibody has been validated for the following applications: ELISA, WB, IHC analysis.
The Integrin beta-1 antibody from Proteintech is a mouse monoclonal antibody to a recombinant protein of human Integrin beta-1. This antibody recognizes human antigen. The Integrin beta-1 antibody has been validated for the following applications: ELISA, WB analysis.
Figure A. FITC conjugated Mouse anti Human CD14 ( MCA596FITC ) and RPE conjugated Mouse IgG1 isotype control ( MCA928PE ). Figure B. FITC conjugated Mouse anti Human CD14 ( MCA596F ) and RPE conjugated Mouse anti Human CD29 ( MCA2028PE ). All experiments performed on red cell lysed human blood gated on monocytes in the presence of 10% human serum. Data acquired on the ZE5 Cell Analyzer.
Published customer image: . Mouse anti Human CD29 antibody, clone JB1B ( MCA1189 ) used to demonstrate CD29 enrichment in porcine extracellular vesicles released by mesenchymal stem cells using western blotting. Image caption: . B: EVs express common EV (CD9, CD29, and CD63) and MSC (CD73 and CD105) markers. From: Eirin A, Zhu X-Y, Puranik AS, Woollard JR, Tang H, Dasari S, et al . (2017). Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of the molecular cargo of extracellular vesicles derived from porcine adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells. PLoS ONE 12(3): e0174303 .
Immunocytochemistry/Immunofluorescence: Integrin beta 1/CD29 Antibody (P4C10) [NBP2-36561] - Integrin beta 1 (P4C10) antibody was tested in -20 degree MeOH fixed HeLa cells at a 1:200 dilution against Dylight 488 (Green). Actin and nuclei were counterstained against Phalloidin 568 (Red) and DAPI (Blue), respectively.
Immunocytochemistry: Integrin beta 1/CD29 Antibody (12G10) [NB100-63255] - Human salivary gland progenitor cells express integrin beta 1 by day 1 in three-dimensional hyaluronan-based hydrogels. Image from verified customer review.
Western Blot: Integrin beta 1/CD29 Antibody (MEM-101A) [NB500-383] - Western Blotting analysis (non-reducing conditions) of isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes of various species using anti-Integrin beta 1 Antibody (MEM-101A). Lane 1: lysate of human PBL Lane 2: lysate of canine PBL Lane 3: lysate of porcine PBL.
Western Blot (WB) analysis of NIH-3T3 cells using Integrin beta1 Polyclonal Antibody.


Once upon a time, in the earliest days of the internet, when websites first began to grow legs and crawl out of the primordial ooze .COM stood for "commercial". It was the domain for businesses.
These days, everyone can have a website - and you want your business to stand out online. Enter the new domain for businesses everywhere: .BUSINESS!
From big corporations to small enterprises and every endeavour in between - get more bang for your business buck with a .BUSINESS domain.
.BUSINESS is the most logical alternative to the old .COM.
.BUSINESS quickly distinguishes your website from blogs and personal sites.
.BUSINESS is for businesses of all shapes and sizes.


Part time waiting work, usually evenings or daytime on a Sunday. I have learned the ability to deal with fast paced working environment whilst maintaining good customer service. Really fun team to work with, managers and co workers, with quite simple but entertaining work.
What are people saying about the leadership at GREGORY?
What are people discussing at GREGORY?
If you were to leave GREGORY, what would be the reason?
What is the work environment and culture like at GREGORY?
How much does GREGORY pay their employees?
What jobs are available at GREGORY?


I started out life pretty sloppy; inherited the trait from my mother. Being sloppy didn't hinder her from being Phi Beta Kappa, receiving a Harvard Law degree, and successfully practicing law for more than 50 years – 50 with the same law partner! Only the CIA's best could even begin to decipher her handwriting. And I followed her example by getting consistent Ds in my penmanship classes. However, technology saved the day for her. Technology in the form of a dictaphone. For those of you not ancient enough to be familiar with this device, it was a very early voice recorder used by lawyers, doctors, and executives to transcribe their notes or documents, to be typed up by their secretaries. For those of you too young to know what a secretary was, secretaries were almost all women, though I did have a male secretary briefly, who performed administrative tasks for one of more managers or partners. Proficient typing skills were a pre-requisite. My mother told me she purposely never learned to type so she could evade being sent to the secretarial pool. Being a male I didn't have that problem, and for reasons I can not recall, took a typing class with my friends one summer. Touch typing was something I had over my Dad, who was what was known as a hunt and peck typist. He used two fingers to peck at his keyboard! And touch typing came in handy in ways I never would have foreseen.
My father was a MIT-trained electrical engineer who never heard or saw anything he couldn't find fault with. Rebelling against his perfectionism as an adolescent probably accounted for half of my anti-perfectionism.
Perfectionism does not scale! The old saw that the perfect is the enemy of the good soon proved true for me as an executive.
So if you are now a perfectionist or have latent perfectionist tendencies read the HBS article How Perfectionists Can Get Out of Their Own Way by Alice Boyes or at least this post. It may save your career! Alice Boyes lists five ways perfectionism can sabotage the workplace.
Perfectionists are motivated to make the absolute best choice — even when doing so isn't strictly necessary. This can lead to decision paralysis. While you might get away with being a perfectionist in a large slow moving old company, it's death in a startup. Because startups are decision machines! as I've written elsewhere in my posts on decision making in startups. Execs and managers, in fact any decision maker in a startup have to make more decisions faster than they ever have in their life. And with an average of about 80% of the information they would have in a mature company.
2. Worrying excessively about sunk costs.
Perfectionists can spend too long working on marginally productive activities before moving on. Learn from your mistakes. Don't make the same mistake twice. And be creative about your mistakes, don't make those of your peers, superiors, staff or mentors. And in the immortal words of Baba Ram Dass, Be here now. I can not tell you how many thousands of hours I've wasted worrying about mistakes I've made and what I should have done. In sports they call this the Woulda, coulda, shoulda problem.
Perfectionists want to feel absolutely ready before taking on challenges. This can lead to holding back from advancement or leadership roles. Personally I never had this problem, but I've seen it in others. It can result in sub-optimal performance and stalemate one's career. Once I learned to live with, admit, and learn from my mistakes I was ready to take on any challenge, including starting half a dozen companies.
4. Applying their high standards to others.
Like my father, as a perfectionist I became a champion nitpicker. When you have 50 or 100 people in your group, trust me, there's an infinite number of nits to pick. After driving most of my staff half-crazy I learned a couple of ways to combat my perfectionism. One, management by exception. The other, taken from the battle field and then the hospital emergency room is triage. Management by exception means only dealing with errors if they make are a difference that makes a difference. As in basketball, no harm, no foul. Triage is the process of prioritizing the severity of problems and paying attention to and attempting to remediate only the high priority problems. Trust me, if you are rigorous in applying these two techniques, which are much harder to practice than to type, your management breadth of reach will begin to scale.
The Serenity Prayer, which says in part, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
If you have read this far and see yourself as a perfectionist or having perfectionist traits the author goes on to describe how to minimize the downsides of perfectionism.
Develop heuristics to enable faster decision-making and action taking.
Ask yourself "How could I improve by 1%"?
Learn strategies to disrupt rumination.
Just to amplify point one. Learn from successes is something I preach to my mentees to practice with their teams. Your goal is to emulate successes, not emulate failures. So make sure to balance learning from your failures with learning from your successes, whether that be winning a prize customer, meeting your revenue projections, or just everyone having a good time at a company picnic. It's just as important to understand what the drivers of success are as what are the mistakes that lead to failure.


text:
Q: Webpack Output for React and Wordpress plugin and code split I am building wordpress plugin with react. I have added code splitting feature and worked perfectly.
Current case (1) with domain name : http://site_name (project configured on nginx)
Another case (2) with domain name: http://localhost:8888/site_name (project inside htdocs folder, apache)
For case 1:
module.exports = {
    context: __dirname,
    devtool: devMode ? 'inline-sourcemap' : false,
    mode: devMode ? 'development' : 'production',
    entry: {
        builder: ['./src/form_builder/index.js'],
        orders: './src/membership/orders.js', //ok

    },
    output: {
        path: __dirname + '/dist/',
        filename: '[name].build.js',
        publicPath: `/wp-content/plugins/${plugin_name}/assets/js/dist/`
    },
}

I have enqueued build js file builder.build.js and orders.build.js on wp-admin and other all split file also located in http://site_name/wp-content/plugins/plugin_name/assets/js/dist/ and these splitted file loaded on demand as expected.
For case 2 Problem : Issue seen when i tried to run same project on domain http://localhost:8888/site_name. Two build js builder.build.js and orders.build.js are loaded as expected but error occured for path location for splitted js file(i.e. 0.build.js, 1.build.js, *.build.js).
As i know already that path is being different as domain name is changed, is there way
As a quick fix i can do publicPath: ../wp-content/plugins/${plugin_name}/assets/js/dist/ to sort issue for http://localhost:8888/site_name but would create issue for http://site_name again.
Have anyone face the same issue, a little help would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Every company that does Internet marketing should know what lead validation is. And yet -- very few do. We created this infographic to help you quickly learn what lead validation is, and why it is so important.


text:
The DNA damage response (DDR) sensor proteins will be involved in the detection of damaged DNA, leading to cellular response activation, including one or more DNA repair pathways
Posted bymindunwindart January 8, 2023
The DNA damage response (DDR) sensor proteins will be involved in the detection of damaged DNA, leading to cellular response activation, including one or more DNA repair pathways. effects of treatment in MM. According to this heterogeneity, adopting precision medicine into clinical practice, with the development of biomarkers, has the potential to improve MM disease management and treatment. gene. In MM, no significant expression of P-gp was detected in newly diagnosed MM and in patients treated with melphalan (Grogan et al., 1993). P-gp overexpression was demonstrated to be associated with resistance to glucocorticoid, etoposide, doxorubicin, and vincristine (Dalton, 1997). VAD treatment (vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone) was associated with P-gp overexpression in MM patients (Sonneveld et al., 2001; Yang et al., 2003). However, a clinical trial with ABCB1 inhibitor (Zosuquidar) did not show any benefit in progression-free or overall survival in refractory MM patients when combined with Genistin (Genistoside) vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone (Friedenberg et al., 2006). Open in a separate window Physique 1 Mechanisms involved in DNA-damaging drug resistance in MM. Overview of mechanisms contributing to resistance to DNA-damaging brokers in MM, including cellular extrusion of the drugs by ATP-dependent pumps, decreased drug influx, increased drug inactivation by metabolism, inactivation of apoptotic pathways, enhanced DNA repair, and altered cell cycle checkpoints and cell communication signals provided by the microenvironment. The behavior of MM cells is determined not only by their genetic or epigenetic background but also by their BM microenvironment. The majority of myeloma growth factors (MGFs) is usually secreted by the BM environment compared to autocrine MGFs (Mahtouk et al., 2010). Several studies have provided a comprehensive overview of MGF expression in the different BM cell subpopulations of MM patients (Podar et al., 2009; Mahtouk et al., 2010). Interactions between MM cells and bone marrow microenvironment could also play a role in DNA-damaging brokers drug resistance (Physique 1). We have documented Genistin (Genistoside) the rise of large concentrations of IL-6 9 days after high-dose melphalan in patients (Condomines et al., 2010). This large concentration of IL-6 will facilitate melphalan-resistant MMCs to survive within the BM. Patients treated with high-dose melphalan, stem cell transplantation, and anti-IL-6 antibody had a survival advantage when mixed with a large cohort of matched patients treated with melphalan and stem cell transplantation alone (Rossi et al., 2005). Cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance to doxorubicin, vincristine, and melphalan was described using human myeloma cell lines and primary MM cells from patients (Damiano et al., 1999; Noborio-Hatano et al., 2009; Neri et al., 2011a; Di Marzo et al., 2016). Bortezomib could overcome cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance through VLA-4 downregulation and inhibition of MM cell adhesion to stroma (Noborio-Hatano et al., 2009; Neri et al., 2011a). Cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance could also safeguard MM cells from etoposide toxicity (Hazlehurst et al., 2000). Targeting cell-to-cell communication between MM cells and BM microenvironment could improve current therapeutic strategies using DNA-damaging brokers. and pathways (Hassen et al., 2014). These data underline a role of drug metabolism in chemotherapy resistance in MM and suggest that inhibitors targeting these pathways could open new perspectives to alleviate or overcome drug resistance. DNA-Damaging Brokers and DNA Repair Pathways The fact that DNA double-strand breaks are highly cytotoxic is usually exploited by DNA-damaging brokers used in the treatment of MM. According to the type of DNA damage, specific DNA repair pathways will be used to cope with DNA insults. For nucleotide lesions occurring on single strands, base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER), and mismatch repair (MMR) will be involved. For DSBs, there are two major pathways, including nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair. The DNA damage response (DDR) sensor proteins will be involved in the detection of damaged DNA, leading to cellular response activation, including one.(2016) demonstrated that dinaciclib, an inhibitor of CDK, impairs HRR in MM cells and sensitizes them to PARP inhibitor without toxicity to normal B cells. MM. According to this heterogeneity, adopting precision medicine into clinical practice, with the development of biomarkers, has the potential to improve MM disease management and treatment. gene. In MM, no significant expression of P-gp was detected in newly diagnosed MM and in patients treated with melphalan (Grogan et al., 1993). P-gp overexpression was demonstrated to be associated with resistance to glucocorticoid, etoposide, doxorubicin, and vincristine (Dalton, 1997). VAD treatment (vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone) was associated with P-gp overexpression in MM patients (Sonneveld et al., 2001; Yang et al., 2003). However, a clinical trial with ABCB1 inhibitor (Zosuquidar) did not show any benefit in progression-free or overall survival in refractory MM patients when combined with vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone (Friedenberg et al., 2006). Open in a separate window Physique 1 Mechanisms involved in DNA-damaging drug resistance in MM. Overview of mechanisms contributing to resistance to DNA-damaging brokers in MM, including cellular extrusion of the drugs by ATP-dependent pumps, decreased drug influx, increased drug inactivation by metabolism, inactivation of apoptotic pathways, enhanced DNA repair, and altered cell cycle checkpoints and cell communication signals provided by the microenvironment. The behavior of MM cells is determined not only by their genetic or epigenetic background but also by their BM microenvironment. The majority of myeloma growth factors (MGFs) is usually secreted by the BM environment compared to autocrine MGFs (Mahtouk et al., 2010). Several studies have provided a Rabbit Polyclonal to SLC9A3R2 comprehensive overview of MGF expression in the different BM cell subpopulations of MM patients (Podar et al., 2009; Mahtouk et al., 2010). Interactions between MM cells and bone marrow microenvironment could also play a role in DNA-damaging brokers drug resistance (Physique 1). We have documented the rise of large concentrations of IL-6 9 days after high-dose melphalan in patients (Condomines et al., 2010). This large concentration of IL-6 will facilitate melphalan-resistant MMCs to survive within the BM. Patients treated with high-dose melphalan, stem cell transplantation, and anti-IL-6 antibody had a survival advantage when mixed with a large cohort of matched patients treated with melphalan and stem cell transplantation alone (Rossi et al., 2005). Cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance to doxorubicin, vincristine, and melphalan was described using human myeloma cell lines and primary MM cells from patients (Damiano et al., 1999; Noborio-Hatano et al., 2009; Neri et al., 2011a; Di Genistin (Genistoside) Marzo et al., 2016). Bortezomib could overcome cell adhesion-mediated drug Genistin (Genistoside) resistance through VLA-4 downregulation and inhibition of MM cell adhesion to stroma (Noborio-Hatano et al., 2009; Neri et al., 2011a). Cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance could also safeguard MM cells from etoposide toxicity (Hazlehurst et al., 2000). Targeting cell-to-cell communication between MM cells and BM microenvironment could improve current therapeutic strategies using DNA-damaging brokers. and pathways (Hassen et al., 2014). These data underline a role of drug metabolism in chemotherapy resistance in MM and suggest that inhibitors targeting these pathways could open new perspectives to alleviate or overcome drug resistance. DNA-Damaging Brokers and DNA Repair Pathways The fact that DNA double-strand breaks are highly cytotoxic is usually exploited by DNA-damaging brokers used in the treatment of MM. According to the type of DNA damage, specific DNA repair pathways will be used to cope with DNA insults. For nucleotide lesions occurring on single strands, base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER), and mismatch repair (MMR) will be involved. For DSBs, there are two major pathways, including nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair. The DNA damage response (DDR) sensor proteins will be involved in the detection of damaged DNA, leading to cellular response activation, including one.
Posted bymindunwindart January 8, 2023 Posted inAHR
On the other hand, embryonic cells depleted of aren't viable, in the lack of extrinsic DNA damage sometimes, and 0
Five?microliter of prepared reconstituted test was injected onto a UHPLC-HRMS with IDA setting for analyze in that case


Blackstone is telling investors not to give up on 2019, and perhaps they're starting to listen.
Its investment strategist, Joseph Zidle, is optimistic stocks will rebound this year, blaming the market's wild swings on misguided, negative sentiment.
"This is a buying opportunity. We see the market, the S&P 500, up 15 percent in 2019," he said Thursday on CNBC's "Futures Now." "This is just not a recessionary environment."
And, Wall Street may be getting the message.
On Friday, the Dow jumped 746.94 points or 3.3 percent, to close the week at 23,433.16. The S&P 500 also soared more than 3 percent to 2,531.94. The rally followed a better-than-expected December jobs report and comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell indicating a more dovish tone.
Zidle has been advising clients to put money to work over the past several weeks as volatility gripped the market — singling out cyclical groups such as materials, industrials, technology and energy.
"They're the most beaten down," he said. "I think oil prices find a bottom, and I don't think the conditions are nearly as dire as people are making them out to be."
Zidle, who has called himself a "stubborn bull," believes significant progress on the trade war will ultimately revive bullish momentum this year for good.
"The trade war is going to get resolved. We think we see a deal in the first quarter," Zidle said. "China and the U.S. have an incentive to get a deal done."


This stylized Janus-faced figure is covered with brass/copper alloy sheeting that adds to the beauty of this reliquary figure from the Kota or Mahongwe people from Gabon.
This example of reliquary sculpture is similar to those of the southern Kota-Obamba and mahongwe. The people worship Ancestors in their religion and social life. The Obamba reliquary sculpture is known as "mbulu ngulu" ("spirits of the dead" or basket figure ), while the mahongwe is known as "osseyba".
At the death of a chief, parts of his body would be decorated with metal and rubbed with magical powder and at the time of the initiation into the secret society, each clan's chief would dance, holding the reliquary. The reliquaries were kept outside homes, and only the initiates of this lineage had access to this sacred place.


Just 500m from the seashore in the area of Albufereta with sea views and complete reform of Nordic style and current brand new. It has 50m2 with a very bright 25m2 living room facing south and overlooking the sea. Kitchen equipped open to the living room with all appliances. It has a double bedroom with sea views and a bathroom en suite with shower. Air conditioning F / C for split in living room, ceramic tile floors, climalit enclosures, smooth walls, led lighting for low consumption, stores and shutters, white lacquered carpentry, armored door... Urbanization of reference in the area with gardens, swimming pool, concierge all year and video surveillance. Free parking for all residents. In area of passage located next tram stop of Isleta, bus and taxi, good connection with highway, avenue of Denia and only ten minutes from the center of Alicante.


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text:
Lecture Series: World War I
On the centennial anniversary of the beginning of World War I, the Nanovic Institute for European Studies presents a series of lectures by historians focused on new data and interpretations. What has been mistaken or overlooked in standard histories? What new data sheds light on the war's causes? Did old empires disappear entirely? What were the long-term effects of the war on the environment? Join us for fresh looks at the catastrophe that in many ways defined modern Europe.
"The Causes, Conduct, and Consequences of WWI"
DAN LINDLEY (Department of Political Science, University of Notre Dame)
Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at 4:30 pm
"Grim Fields: Militarized Environments of the First World War and the Making of the 20th Century"
TAIT KELLER (Rhodes College)
Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at 4:30 pm
Seeing what George Kennan called the twentieth century's "seminal catastrophe" from an environmental perspective changes our understanding of the First World War. Iconic images of the Western Front include ravaged farmlands, charred forests, and muddy quagmires, but few have investigated the war's enduring environmental impacts on and off the battlefields. This talk will focus on how energy schemes to fuel both bodies and machines transformed environments around the world. To keep soldiers and engines in action, militaries commandeered energy resources throughout the biosphere and altered ecosystems. By analyzing how warfare and energy regimes coevolved over the course of the Great War we can better understand the intersections of military violence, human victimization, and environmental change during the twentieth century.
"The Great War's Forgotten Realm: Revisiting the Habsburg Monarchy's First World War"
JOHN DEAK (Department of History, University of Notre Dame)
Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 4:30 pm
For a long time historians have seen the First World War as the last nail in the coffin for the dying Habsburg Empire. Notre Dame's own Historian John Deak will talk about new, emerging perspectives that fundamentally call into question this classic interpretation and what it may mean for central European history and our understanding of the First World War.
"Violence, Military Occupation, and the First World War: Rethinking Paradigms"
JONATHAN GUMZ (University of Birmingham, U.K.)
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at 4:30 pm
"Eyes Wide Open: Germany's Bid for Mastery of Europe in 1914"
KEIR LIEBER (Georgetown University)
Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 4:30 pm


text:
Q: How can I use a operator ternary in a string? Consider the following snippet I tried:

I try like that, but it did not work? How can I do it?

A: When you enclose a string with grave marks (`), it allows for interpolated expression over string concatenation, called a template literal which is new in ES2015. Your ternary operator is an expression, so you can use ${expr} notation in string interpolation to interpolate an expression. Since you're already using template literals, there's no reason to do concatenation, thus:
var res = `

               ...

`;

Anywhere you want to use string concatenation of an expression, you can just use interpolation. So instead of:
'1 + 1 = ' + (1 + 1)

You can do:
`1 + 1 = ${1 + 1}`

Because 1 + 1 is an expression.

A: You were doing it ok, but missing the string concatenation

A: for (var key in photoList) {
  if (key === photoList[key].id) {
    var res =  `

      ...

`;
  }
}


text:
A Key Brain Region Responds to Faces Similarly in Infants and Adults
FeaturedNeuroscienceNeuroscience VideosOpen Neuroscience ArticlesVisual Neuroscience
· November 15, 2021
Summary: The fusiform face area, an area of the visual cortex responsible for facial processing, develops much earlier than previously believed.
Source: MIT
Within the visual cortex of the adult brain, a small region is specialized to respond to faces, while nearby regions show strong preferences for bodies or for scenes such as landscapes.
Neuroscientists have long hypothesized that it takes many years of visual experience for these areas to develop in children. However, a new MIT study suggests that these regions form much earlier than previously thought. In a study of babies ranging in age from two to nine months, the researchers identified areas of the infant visual cortex that already show strong preferences for either faces, bodies, or scenes, just as they do in adults.
"These data push our picture of development, making babies' brains look more similar to adults, in more ways, and earlier than we thought," says Rebecca Saxe, the John W. Jarve Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, a member of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research, and the senior author of the new study.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the researchers collected usable data from more than 50 infants, a far greater number than any research lab has been able to scan before. This allowed them to examine the infant visual cortex in a way that had not been possible until now.
"This is a result that's going to make a lot of people have to really grapple with their understanding of the infant brain, the starting point of development, and development itself," says Heather Kosakowski, an MIT graduate student and the lead author of the study, which appears today in Current Biology.
Distinctive regions
More than 20 years ago, Nancy Kanwisher, the Walter A. Rosenblith Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at MIT, used fMRI to discover the fusiform face area: a small region of the visual cortex that responds much more strongly to faces than any other kind of visual input.
Since then, Kanwisher and her colleagues have also identified parts of the visual cortex that respond to bodies (the extrastriate body area, or EBA), and scenes (the parahippocampal place area, or PPA).
"There is this set of functionally very distinctive regions that are present in more or less the same place in pretty much every adult," says Kanwisher, who is also a member of MIT's Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines, and an author of the new study. "That raises all these questions about how these regions develop. How do they get there, and how do you build a brain that has such similar structure in each person?"
One way to try to answer those questions is to investigate when these highly selective regions first develop in the brain. A longstanding hypothesis is that it takes several years of visual experience for these regions to gradually become selective for their specific targets. Scientists who study the visual cortex have found similar selectivity patterns in children as young as 4 or 5 years old, but there have been few studies of children younger than that.
In 2017, Saxe and one of her graduate students, Ben Deen, reported the first successful use of fMRI to study the brains of awake infants. That study, which included data from nine babies, suggested that while infants did have areas that respond to faces and scenes, those regions were not yet highly selective. For example, the fusiform face area did not show a strong preference for human faces over every other kind of input, including human bodies or the faces of other animals.
However, that study was limited by the small number of subjects, and also by its reliance on an fMRI coil that the researchers had developed especially for babies, which did not offer as high-resolution imaging as the coils used for adults.
For the new study, the researchers wanted to try to get better data, from more babies. They built a new scanner that is more comfortable for babies and also more powerful, with resolution similar to that of fMRI scanners used to study the adult brain.
MIT researchers have found regions of the infant visual cortex that show strong preferences for either faces, bodies, or scenes, just as they do in adults. Credit: MIT News
After going into the specialized scanner, along with a parent, the babies watched videos that showed either faces, body parts such as kicking feet or waving hands, objects such as toys, or natural scenes such as mountains.
The researchers recruited nearly 90 babies for the study, collected usable fMRI data from 52, half of which contributed higher-resolution data collected using the new coil. Their analysis revealed that specific regions of the infant visual cortex show highly selective responses to faces, body parts, and natural scenes, in the same locations where those responses are seen in the adult brain. The selectivity for natural scenes, however, was not as strong as for faces or body parts.
The infant brain
The findings suggest that scientists' conception of how the infant brain develops may need to be revised to accommodate the observation that these specialized regions start to resemble those of adults sooner than anyone had expected.
"The thing that is so exciting about these data is that they revolutionize the way we understand the infant brain," Kosakowski says. "A lot of theories have grown up in the field of visual neuroscience to accommodate the view that you need years of development for these specialized regions to emerge. And what we're saying is actually, no, you only really need a couple of months."
Credit: MITCBMM
Because their data on the area of the brain that responds to scenes was not as strong as for the other locations they looked at, the researchers now plan to pursue additional studies of that region, this time showing babies images on a much larger screen that will more closely mimic the experience of being within a scene. For that study, they plan to use near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a non-invasive imaging technique that doesn't require the participant to be inside a scanner.
"That will let us ask whether young babies have robust responses to visual scenes that we underestimated in this study because of the visual constraints of the experimental setup in the scanner," Saxe says.
FeaturedGeneticsNeurosciencePsychology
How Neurons From PTSD Patients React to Stress
The researchers are now further analyzing the data they gathered for this study in hopes of learning more about how development of the fusiform face area progresses from the youngest babies they studied to the oldest. They also hope to perform new experiments examining other aspects of cognition, including how babies' brains respond to language and music.
Funding: The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the McGovern Institute, and the Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines.
About this visual processing research news
Author: Anne Trafton
Contact: Anne Trafton – MIT
Image: The image is credited to MIT News
Original Research: Open access.
"Selective responses to faces, scenes, and bodies in the ventral visual pathway of infants" by Heather Kosakowski et al. Current Biology
Selective responses to faces, scenes, and bodies in the ventral visual pathway of infants
Category-selective responses are present within the first year of life
FFA, PPA, and EBA are face, scene, and body selective, respectively, in infancy
Selective responses did not reach significance in infant OFA, OPA, RSC, or FBA
Category-selective responses are not explained by visual "protomaps"
Three of the most robust functional landmarks in the human brain are the selective responses to faces in the fusiform face area (FFA), scenes in the parahippocampal place area (PPA), and bodies in the extrastriate body area (EBA).
Are the selective responses of these regions present early in development or do they require many years to develop? Prior evidence leaves this question unresolved.
We designed a new 32-channel infant magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) coil and collected high-quality functional MRI (fMRI) data from infants (2–9 months of age) while they viewed stimuli from four conditions—faces, bodies, objects, and scenes.
We find that infants have face-, scene-, and body-selective responses in the location of the adult FFA, PPA, and EBA, respectively, powerfully constraining accounts of cortical development.
brain developmentbrain researchdevelopmental neurosciencefacial processingfacial recognitionFFAfusiform face areaMITneurobiologyneurodevelopmentNeuroscienceneuroscience videosOpen Accessopen sciencevisual cortexvisual neurosciencevisual processing


Minutes after the bridge collapse in south Kolkata late on September 4, twitterati went into overdrive. The crux of the posts were that all construction in the metropolis is ruled by syndicates or gangs of party cadre, mostly unemployed men, who often change their political colours. From supplying construction material to labour to fixing wages, they take all decisions. No questions are asked, no answers given.
Building collapses and fires are not the only causes of urban deaths, and these are not confined to Mumbai or Delhi. Mega and ultra-mega construction projects promoted by the government or moneybags block rainwater's right of way and storage (rivers, streams, canals, tanks, wetlands and other associated common land) leading to massive floods and deluge, resulting in death and destruction.
Then there is pollution—air, water, land. Thirty of the most polluted cities in the world are in India with Delhi being the worst. Air pollution is affecting the respiratory health of people in 102 cities. Water pollution is the cause of exponential increase in gastro problems, particularly among children and infants. All these cause death. More Indians die cleaning sewers than fighting terrorists in Kashmir. Over the last eight years at least, the death toll among sewer workers has started to converge with that of security forces deployed in the beleaguered state. In 2017, India's sewage system killed 90 people compared to 54 security personnel who died combatting militants. Heaps of waste and garbage adorn the streets and open spaces of most cities and towns, creating a rotten stink.
All this indicates that there is nothing known as urban governance. There was an attempt to set up Urban Local Governments (ULGs) by enacting the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act in 1992 and to empower them to perform the key tasks assigned under the 12th Schedule (Article 243W): Urban planning and development, landuse and construction; economic and social development; roads and bridges; water supply; public health and sanitation conservancy; urban forestry and environment protection; safeguarding interests of weaker and handicapped sections; slum improvement; urban poverty alleviation; provision of urban amenities and promotion of cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects.
Levy of "reasonable" user charges on services that are currently free, with the objective of recovering full cost of operations and management within the next five years.
Most of these have not come about and India's metropolises and cities continue to stink and sink. These include Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Kochi, and a host of smaller cities. Uncontrolled urban sprawl accelerates monsoon disasters. Between the top five metros—Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru—the population is a whopping 38 crore and climbing. Waterlogged roads full of craters and potholes, flood-related deaths and crippled infrastructure, urban displacement and economic loss make wearingly repetitive news every time it rains. India is an urban disaster at a fairly advanced stage.
The reasons for sinking cities vary by location. They are migration, construction of mega buildings, ground sinking naturally in coastal cities built on river deltas, rising sea levels and depleting groundwater. Migration from the countryside into urban areas places stress on natural resources. The weight of huge buildings presses down on earth. Many Indian water bodies have been built over through the process of urbanisation because they are rarely mentioned in the municipal records. Planners only see land, not water. Urban floods are capable of causing major economic, social and environmental losses.
Despite the challenges, urban governance remains dismal, almost non-existent. This is best described by the chaos, multiplicity and duplicity in the "governance" of the Chennai Metropolitan Area which is morphing from metropolis to megapolis. Urban planning, regulation of land use and construction of buildings are dealt with by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Municipal Corporation of Chennai (MCC) and a host of ULBs. Planning for economic and social development is the responsibility of the Commissioner, municipal administration. Roads and bridges are that of the MCC, ULBs and the highways department. Water supply is under the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board. Public health, sanitation, conservancy and solid waste management are handled by the MCC and ULBs. Fire service is under the Director of Fire Services. Protection of environment and promotion of ecological aspects is under the Department of Environment & Forests and TN Pollution Control Board. Safeguarding the interests of the weaker sections, including the handicapped and mentally retarded, is that of the Department of Social Welfare. Slum improvement and upgradation is under the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board. The Department of Tourism looks after cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects.
The ULBs deal with urban poverty alleviation; amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens, playgrounds; burials and cremations; cattle pounds; prevention of cruelty to animals; public amenities including street lighting, parking lots, bus stops and public conveniences and regulation of slaughterhouses and tanneries. In all this, the role of the elected mayor, supposed to be the head of ULG, is minimal and confined to just a few of the activities listed above. Most of the functions are with parastatal agencies which are under the state government.
The situation is the same elsewhere. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai is a case in point. Within the framework of the Mumbai Municipal Act, 1888, nine collateral authorities are mandated to be constituted with the more important ones being the Standing Committee, the Improvements Committee, the BEST Committee, the Education Committee, and the Ward Committees, each of which is deliberative in nature. In all this, the role of the mayor is at best decorative.
Every city has a master plan which a legal document is prepared after discussion, debate and deliberation. Development control rules that regulate zoning and construction are a part of the master plan. These plans have identified development strategies that need to be implemented faithfully. But the plans are literally thrown into the waste paper basket and multi-storeys and skyscrappers—commercial and residential—come up in utter violation. Politicians and plunderers don't look at plans, they look at hard currency. This is what stares at your face: Corruption. And this leads to disaster, destruction and death.
In the midst of all this lawlessness, greed and corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has grand designs to build 100 futuristic "smart" cities in India which do not address any of these ills but instead pander to the corporate agenda of digitalisation and automation. Smart Cities Mission (SCM) was launched on June 25, 2015 by Modi with the strategic components of city improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment) and city extension (greenfield development) plus a pan-city initiative. All these are technology/real estate-oriented, catering to the interests of private property developers with automation to manage them. By operating through Special Purpose Vehicles, the SCM will derail whatever democracy is left in urban governance and replace it with corporatisation.
So, assisted by technology, the urban stink and sink continues unabated. All the strictures, directions and judgments of higher courts are of little avail!


text:
Queen of Katwe – It's about more than Chess
By John Frost August 25, 2016
A new featurette from Disney's upcoming film "Queen of Katwe" shows that it takes more than just mastery of the…
Pete's Dragon featurette puts funny spin on film production
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Behind The Wings is new featurette and a humorous take on having a giant hairy green dragon on the set…
The Making of Disney's The Jungle Book Featurette
The melding of live footage with the digitally created, is done to perfection in Disney's The Jungle Book and it's…
Disney's The Jungle Book featurette – The Voices
By John Frost April 9, 2016
In Disney's original animated feature The Jungle Book, we enjoyed the fun, adventure, and artistry of Disney's masters. The 2016…
Disney's The Jungle Book introduces new clip and featurette
By John Frost March 29, 2016
Update: Added a second trailer below. This one features Baloo and Mowgli. The story of Mowgli the man cub starts…
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We're now just 10 days before the first fans get a glimpse at Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the…
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Escape From the Scooby Doo Mansion: Speed Post!
Admiral Nelson once had a roomate named Shirley, you know.
I never did trust that worm.
Is there any other kind of cramp?
That "something special" wouldn't happen to be a mechanical hook, would it?
There, got it all posted in less than five minutes!
Thanks for the fiver! It was time well spent sir.


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Review: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' Scattered Emotions Make For An "Unruly Mess"
After the runaway success of his debut album The Heist with partner-in-crime Ryan Lewis, one would think that Seattle-bred indie rapper Macklemore would continue to use the formula that worked for…
By J'na Jefferson
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After the runaway success of his debut album The Heist with partner-in-crime Ryan Lewis, one would think that Seattle-bred indie rapper Macklemore would continue to use the formula that worked for so well for him in 2012. However, the twosome is choosing to use their platform to release material that both entertains and educates listeners on their sophomore effort, This Unruly Mess I've Made, which dropped last Friday (Feb. 26). However, the result is a conflicting collection of high-on-life, self-deprecating ditties that struggles to find a real balance.
The 13-song opus contains cameos that give some of the tracks the tabasco Macklemore, born Ben Haggarty, needed to subtly spice things up. Chance The Rapper offers "Ultralight Beam" caliber rhymes on the standout track, "Need To Know." YG delivers bars about growing up in sticky situations and giving back in "Bolo Tie." Leon Bridges adds depth on "Kevin," a chilling ode to a fallen friend who overdosed on prescription pain meds. Hip-hop legends Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee and Grandmaster Caz can be heard hamming it up in the top 20 single, "Downtown." It's easy to like Mack when he's being corny with tracks such like his ode to carbohydrate courtship, "Let's Eat," or the Anderson .Paak and Idris Elba (!!!) assisted "Dance Off." However, when he clumsily attempts to be more serious through songs that tackle issues such as America's prescription pill problem, neglecting his family and white guilt, admiring him can be a push-pull situation.
"Instead of writing a song about feeling bad for being a successful white rapper, he could have merely continued to do just that."
Cue the album's dramatic conclusion: the controversial "White Privilege II." You can't deny the amount of fame Macklemore has amassed in such a short period of time doing music that (for years) was strictly for blacks only. In the nearly-nine minute song, Mack is wearing his guilty conscience for his success on his sleeve and on wax. He acknowledges that he is aware of his privilege by way of lyrics like, "You've exploited and stolen the music, the movement/the magic, the passion, the fashion, you toy with." He may believe he's doing the right thing by being vocally sincere about the elephant in the room, but in doing so, the wrong thing comes about.
Instead of writing a song about feeling bad for being a successful white rapper, he could have merely continued to do just that. Besides, bringing up that he's a profitable white act in a predominantly black genre is not necessarily groundbreaking. Eminem's 2003 album The Eminem Show tackled that issue head on. His song "White America" said, "Let's do the math, if I was black, I would've sold half/I ain't have to graduate from Lincoln High School to know that." That's not to say that "White Privilege II" isn't candid and culturally-relevant regarding a topic that has plagued the industry for decades. Unfortunately, it served as more of a bulky catharsis for Mack's personal uneasiness about an issue that's common knowledge by this point. It was sort of like his Grammy text to Kendrick Lamar in song form—you know he had good intentions by putting it on display, but it would have been better if he hadn't.
You've gotta love Macklemore's moxie, though. Being able to put his thoughts out there for the sake of artistic expression is something that society lambasts so many musicians for. However, he approaches these particular songs in an almost timid manner compared to the charismatic approach he takes towards tackling his loony tunes. He fairs a lot better when he's rapping about being "Brad Pitt's Cousin" than when he's being didactic about cultural appropriation. Although the serious conversations are needed, they get drowned out almost completely by the "fun" stuff, creating, yes, one big, unruly mess.
ryan lewis


Shopping for auto insurance? Looking to protect your home, condo, or apartment? Exploring life or health coverage? Just choose the product you're looking for and get an insurance rate quote from State Farm® right away.
Customize coverage amounts to see how they affect the price of your auto insurance.
Use our built-in policy adviser and needs calculator to help decide which policy and coverage amounts fit your situation.
We offer online rate quotes for homeowners insurance in most states.
State Farm offers a policy specifically designed for individual condominium unit owners.
We offer online quotes in most states for our hospital income and Medicare Supplement products.
We don't offer online quotes for boats, businesses, or motorcycles yet, but you can always contact your State Farm agent for an off-line quote.
We want you to have complete and accurate information about State Farm products and their costs as you make your insurance selections. For the most accurate insurance rate quotes, please do not rely on information about State Farm rates provided by sources not endorsed by State Farm.
New teenage driver at home?


Mykonos has some of the most beautiful luxury villas that could satisfy even the most demanding guests. They can be rented for a week or more and offer their guests a dreamy place to stay for their vacations on the island.
Travelers who seek an extremely luxury accommodation without any limitations on their budget can choose one of the biggest Mykonos Luxury Villas that provide an elegant environment, privacy, high-quality concierge services and all the amenities you could ever need.
The following Mykonos Villas can only be described as small palaces suitable for Kings and Queens!
Villa Caprice is built on a hill in Fanari area on the northeast part of the island. The venue offers large areas indoors and outdoors and amazing views to the Aegean Sea, Delos islet and the sunset. It has 6 bedrooms and 2 floors.
The interior is modern and lavish and the spacious sitting room has huge windows to the sea so that you can enjoy the views even from your sofa or your dining table. The outdoor area is in complete harmony with the environment with a beautiful combination of whitewashed and stone walls.
On a private plot of 8000 square meters in a wonderful location at Paraga area, two twin villas create the Paradise Bay Complex. Each one has 8 bedrooms and the total capacity of the complex is 32 guests. The location is ideal for travelers who want to have easy access to the famous party beaches of Paradise and Paraga.
The complex has two private infinity pools, a smaller pool for children, large outdoor sitting and dining areas and a private beach. Bedrooms on the upper floor have their own private balconies.
Villa Sapphire is located just over Elia Beach, one of the largest sandy beaches of Mykonos. Three floors, 8 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a spacious sitting room, and a fully equipped kitchen offer guests the most comfortable accommodation. The minimalistic cozy decoration will help you relax and enjoy your stay at maximum.
The infinity swimming pool in front of the building is huge and surrounded by comfortable sun loungers, pergolas, a pool bar, a BBQ and two dining areas.
Situated at Tourlos, very close to Mykonos Town, Villa Mediterranean Blue offers a great combination of privacy and easy access to the city. Nine spacious bedrooms, 5 on the ground floor and 3 in the upper, can sleep up to 20 guests. The building has strong influents from the Cycladic architecture and natural materials such as wood and stone are used in plenty.
The property includes a tennis court, 3 outdoor sitting areas, a dining table next to the infinity pool and a BBQ.
Built on a hill at the peaceful area of Saint Lazarus and offering easy access to the most famous beaches and Mykonos Town, Saint Lazarus Retreat is one of the most romantic villas in Mykonos. It has 6 bedrooms, one of which expands in two levels.
Besides the swimming pool, the outdoor dining area, the comfortable sun beds, and sofas, Saint Lazarus Retreat has a beautiful garden full of lavenders, rosemary and olive trees that spread wonderful aromas to the air.
Located at Pouli, one of the most beautiful areas of Mykonos, Villa Turquoise offers panoramic views to the sea, the sunset and Delos. Both indoor and outdoor spaces are designed with a mixture of Cycladic architecture and an elegant taste. The villa has 7 bedrooms but for larger groups, it can be rented together with villa Aqua Marine.
If the large infinity pool, the outdoor dining and sitting areas, the pergolas and the BBQ are not enough for you, you can easily visit the nearby beaches of Ornos and St John.
Just over the beautiful Saint Lazaros Bay, you will find Villa Royal Blue. Three levels include 6 bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and a spacious sitting room. The architecture is Cycladic and the decoration is minimal and chic.
The outdoor area offers amazing views to the ocean and consists of a large swimming pool, dining and sitting areas, a Jacuzzi, pergolas and a BBQ.


Although I wish I could say I was spending this weekend watching Swedish Fish swim in bottles of Champagne and devouring packs of Fun Dip, I've got to get my grind on.
Regardless of the work-load, it's somewhat refreshing to wake up (not-hungover) to a history novel inside a coffee shop with the morning light shining through the window. And it's nice being able to box and run knowing their is no nicotine in my little lungs (and hasn't been fore 2+ weeks!!).
Trading in my Sour Patch Kids for Komubcha and Protein Shakes is proving to do my brain wonders. Besides, you can't really party like happy Unicorn every weekend, sometimes you need to charge your hornzz & re-dye your hair.


Tucked away in the dunes behind the sand and crashing surf, Bodega Dunes Campground offers a beach access and a tranquil camping option for visitors to Bodega Bay and the surrounding area. The campground is a couple of dunes away from South Salmon Creek Beach, a picturesque setting for beach combing, kite flying, and picnics. There area also a few surfing spots nearby, such as North Salmon Creek Beach a mile to the north.
The campground has campsites for car/tents or RVs up to 31 feet (although no RV hookups are available), bathrooms, showers and potable water. The majority of the campsites are shaded by Monterey cypress trees and some of the sites have sandy dune backdrops. There is a day use area with picnic tables and an access road within the campground but closer to the beach. As of this report it is closed to car access between September 3 and April 30.
Also note that from September 3 to April 30, only campsites 22-51 are open at Bodega Dunes Campground. From May 1 through September 2 all campsites within the campground are open.
Sounding of a foghorn througout the night.


Ultimate Crafts-Die. These three-in-one dies cut shapes, emboss details into your die cut shapes and stencil through the die for added effects. Works with all leading embossing and die-cutting machines (sold separately). This package contains Poinsettia Layer: four dies measuring between 1/2x1/2 inches and 2-1/4x2-1/4 inches. Imported.


Prostate cancer, like many other tumors, requires the formation of new blood vessels through de novo angiogenesis. This is a fundamental process in the growth of the tumor mass as well as nutrient and oxygen delivery to, and toxin removal from, the tumor. Without proper vascularization the tumor starts to die and decreases in size. Thus, the tumor ensures its well-being, sending messages (angiogenic factor(s)) to its surrounding environment, which allows vascularization to form from the existing host vasculature network.
While successful drugs to inhibit angiogenesis in tumors have been identified, one of the key areas of angiogenesis research is the choice of appropriate assays to evaluate the efficacy of potential new drugs, and to identify potential targets within the angiogenic process. We have developed an efficient and cost-effective, in vivo angiogenesis assay using an ex ovo chicken chorioallantoic model. Our chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay allows simultaneous, quantitative evaluation of many compounds, in a short period of time. In brief, human tumor cells or exogenous compounds (potentially promoting or inhibiting angiogenesis) are mixed into a collagen onplant to provide the pro- or anti-angiogenic signal. This onplant is placed onto the CAM for 3 days and new blood vessels are visualized and scored with a basic stereomicroscope. Thus, the relative "angiogenic potential" of different cell lines or drugs can be evaluated.
Haile Y, Carmine-Simmen K, Olechowski C, Kerr B, Bleackley RC, Giuliani F. Granzyme B-inhibitor serpina3n induces neuroprotection in vitro and in vivo. J Neuroinflammation. 2015 Sep 4;12(1):157.
Leong HS, Robertson AE, Stoletov K, Leith SJ, Chin CA, Chien AE, Hague MN, Ablack A, Carmine-Simmen K, McPherson VA, Postenka CO, Turley EA, Courtneidge SA, Chambers AF, Lewis JD. Invadopodia are required for cancer cell extravasation and are a therapeutic target for metastasis. Cell Rep. 2014 Sep 11;8(5):1558-70.
Haile Y, Simmen KC, Pasichnyk D, Touret N, Simmen T, Lu JQ, Bleackley RC, Giuliani F. Granule-Derived Granzyme B Mediates the Vulnearability of Human Neurons to T Cell-Induced Neurotoxicity. J. Immunol. 2011 Nov 1; 187(9):4861-72. Epub 2011 Sep 30.
Ang LS, Boivin WA, Williams SJ, Zhao H, Abraham T, Carmine-Simmen K, McManus BM, Bleackley RC, Granville DJ. Serpina3n attenuates granzyme B-mediated decorin cleavage and rupture in a murine model of aortic aneurysm. Cell Death Dis. 2011 Sep 8; 2:209-2018.
Carmine-Simmen K, Proctor T, Tschape J, Poeck B, Triphan T, Strauss R, Kretzschamar D. Neurotoxic effects induced by the Drosophila amyloid-beta peptide suggest a conserved toxic function. Neurobiol Dis. 2009 Feb;33(2):274-81. Epub 2008 Nov 8.
Myhill N, Lynes EM, Nanji JA, Blagoveshchenskaya AD, Fei H, Carmine Simmen K, Cooper TJ, Thomas G, Simmen T. The subcellular distribution of calnexin is mediated by PACS-2. Mol Biol Cell. 2008 Jul; 19 (7):2777-88. Epub 2008 Apr 16.
Sipione S, Simmen KC, Lord SJ (co-first author), Motyka B, Ewen C, Shostak I, Rayat GR, Dufour JM, Korbutt GS, Rajotte RV, & Bleackley RC, Identification of a novel human granzyme B inhibitor secreted by cultured sertoli cells. J Immunol, 2006. 177(8): p. 5051-8.
Kottgen M, Benzing T, Simmen T, Tauber R, Buchholz B, Feliciangeli S, Huber TB, Schermer B, Kramer-Zucker A, Hopker K, Simmen KC, Tschucke CC, Sandford R, Kim E, Thomas G, & Walz G. (2005). Trafficking of TRPP2 by PACS proteins represents a novel mechanism of ion channel regulation. Embo J, 24, 705-716.
Ferrari S, Simmen KC (co-first author), Dusserre Y, Muller K, Fourel G, Gilson E, & Mermod N. Chromatin domain boundaries delimited by a histone-binding protein in yeast. J Biol Chem, 2004 279, 55520-55530.
Spataro V, Simmen K. & Realini CA. The essential 26S proteasome subunit Rpn11 confers multidrug resistance to mammalian cells. Anticancer Res, 2002 22, 3905-3909.
Fourel G, Boscheron C, Revardel E, Lebrun E, Hu YF, Simmen KC, Muller K, Li R, Mermod N, & Gilson, E. An activation-independent role of transcription factors in insulator function. EMBO Rep, 2001 2, 124-132.


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CANADA OPEN 2014 Finals – First step is always the hardest
Elm Vandevorst
The first time a player wins a match – or even better, a tournament – is an indescribable moment. No fewer than four champions at the Canada Open celebrated their first ever victory in a Grand Prix event. Former #1 Lee Hyun Il was the only odd man out.
By Elm Vandevorst. Photos: Badmintonphoto and Don Hearn (archives)
Are the new titleholders at the Canada Open on the verge of new chapters in their careers? And is winning a tournament on such a level just a milestone or the helping hand they required to boost their upcoming performances?
Lee Hyun Il (pictured above) was the only player who had yet won a Grand Prix title. The former World Championship bronze medallist and Asian Games silver medallist has announced his retirement from international competition three times now: in 2007, then again after both the2008 and 2012 Olympics. However two years later decided to start again, filling the void of singles players in the Korean team.
While he's not competing on such a high level any longer, 34 year-old Lee is still a formidable shuttler, as proven by his victory at the Sri Lanka Open in June where he defeated amongst others Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, H.S. Prannoy and Anand Pawar. In Vancouver, he was up against upcoming youngster Ng Ka Long, eager on winning his first ever Grand Prix. However the experience of his Korean adversary topped his youthful enthusiasm, sending Ng Ka Long back home with a straightforward 21-16, 21-14 defeat.
More joy for Korea came in the women's doubles. Choi Hye In (pictured above) and Lee So Hee finally won their first Grand Prix when they overcame compatriots Park So Young and Park Sun Young 21-15, 21-18. Choi and younger partner Lee So Hee are already playing together for some years now, with their first ever badminton gold going back to the 2010 German Junior Open. The two teams knew each other very well. Not only did Choi play with Saturday rival Park So Young earlier this year at the Korea Open, but the four girls all train together with former World Champion Ra Kyung Min when Choi and Lee are not at the national training centre.
Much to the delight of the home crowd, Canadian Michelle Li (pictured) was also able to win the title. Li had a difficult second game, but still won from Pai Yu Po with 21-16 23-21. The 2011 Pan Am gold medallist in both singles and doubles is the first Canadian winner on home soil since the Open became a Grand Prix event in 2007.
Luckily, Team Taiwan was already assured of a title in the men's doubles. Liang Jui Wei / Lu Chai Pin overcame compatriots Liao Min Chun / Tseng Min Hao in the only three-game match of the day. Finally, Germany's Max Schwenger / Carla Nelte (pictured below) won the 'Battle of Europe' surmounting Dutch duo in two close games and relegating De Ruiter/Barning to the runner-up position in Canada for the second straight year.
Most athletes will now head to the United States for the U.S. Open Championships starting next Tuesday. Crowd-pleasers will be, amongst others, the men's doubles pairing Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen, local favourites Eva Lee and Paula Lynn Obanana and defending men's singles champion Nguyen Tien Minh.
WD: Choi Hye In / Lee So Hee (KOR) beat Park So Young / Park Sun Young (KOR) 21-15, 21-18
MD: Liang Jui Wei / Lu Chia Pin (TPE) [5] beat Liao Min Chun / Tseng Min Hao (TPE) [6] 21-18, 16-21, 21-16
XD: Max Schwenger / Carla Nelte (GER) [2] beat Jorrit De Ruiter / Samantha Barning (NED) [1] 21-18, 23-21
MS: Lee Hyun Il (KOR) beat Ng Ka Long (HKG) [15] 21-16, 21-14
WS: Michelle Li (CAN) [1] beat Pai Yu Po (TPE) 21-16, 23-21
Click here for complete results
Tags: Canada Open, Grand Prix
About Elm Vandevorst


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Home Page > News > Press Releases > 2018 Press Releases > CLASS OF 2018 WCJC commencement exercises see record attendance
CLASS OF 2018 WCJC commencement exercises see record attendance
Seven Wharton High School seniors participated in Wharton County Junior College's recent commencement after earning enough college credit hours during their high school years to obtain an associate's degree. From left are Wharton ISD Superintendent Tina Herrington, Angel Cuevas, Everardo Cuevas, Nayelli Cuevas, Cecilia Cuevas, Thomas Garza, Carlos Vargas, Christian Garcia and WCJC President Betty McCrohan.
WHARTON, TEXAS – Seven Wharton High School seniors were among the 285 Wharton County Junior College graduates participating in the college's recent commencement exercises.
Held at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, the dual events saw record attendance and stellar participation on the part of graduates who walked across the stage in the Pioneer Gym on the Wharton campus to receive their associate of arts degree, associate of applied science degree or associate of arts in teaching degree. The college set up a live broadcast of the ceremony in the Horton Foote Theatre to accommodate the overflow crowd.
The seven high school students participated in the morning ceremony as part of the Realizing Our Academic Reward (ROAR) Academy, a partnership between Wharton County Junior College and Wharton Independent School District that for the past four years has allowed a select group of students to earn upwards of 60 college-level credit hours while still enrolled in high school.
Of the inaugural ROAR class of 28 students, only seven – Cecilia Cuevas, Everardo Cuevas, Angel Cuevas Jr., Nayelli Cuevas, Thomas Garza, Carlos Vargas and Christian Garcia – completed enough credit hours to earn an associate's degree and walk at the WCJC commencement exercises.
Students and faculty were also recognized during the event. The President's Award was presented to Elizabeth Leon of Rosenberg and High Grade Point Average Awards were presented to Gilberto Borja-Anorve of Palacios and Ashlee Jochec of El Campo. Jochec also received the Outstanding Service Award, which identifies a student who best exemplifies the spirit of service to the college and the community.
Four WCJC instructors were recognized with Awards of Teaching Excellence: Instructor of Psychology Jodie Hutchinson, Instructor of Mathematics Yvonne Smith, Instructor of Engineering Design Haydee Ruiz and Instructor of Developmental Reading Phyllis Appling.
Special music for the two ceremonies was provided by the WCJC Choir under the direction of Choir Director Dr. Kevin Klotz and accompanied by Instructor of Music Debra Lemson.


Stream Tankers AS has increased its orderbook to five advanced 19,900 dwt chemical tankers.
The vessels will be built at Fukuoka Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. and Shitanoe Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. in Japan. Furthermore, Stream Tankers has options for an additional three vessels at the shipyards.
The newbuildings are of the new Fukuoka/Shitanoe eco-design. Delivery of the vessels will be from the fall of 2015 to early 2017.
Stream Tankers AS currently owns two 19,900 dwt chemical tankers built at Fukuoka and Shitanoe shipyards in Japan in 2008 and 2010. The company is owned by Utkilen AS (60%), EGD Shipholding AS (35%) and BSCO AS (5%).


Visiting a new city, we first try to get acquainted with its attractions, historical and cultural heritage. Any locality has its unique features and highlights and Vitebsk is no exception. In fact, Vitebsk culture is richer and more diverse than we can imagine. Take, for example, the Temple of the Holy Apostle Andrew First-Called. A unique wooden church harmoniously complements urban monumental landscape, emphasizing that the true faith makes wonders. I agree, the relic belongs to the history of our time, but it is only once again underlines the fact that the architecture of Vitebsk is not standing still, its spiritual component is growing rapidly, entering more and more pages in the history of the city.
It is good when the trip is planned, we have the opportunity to see the sights in absence and to plan the cultural program. It's enough to look at the site of Vitebsk. Indeed, the abundance of historical sites makes you dizzy. And if you have not yet decided what to see in Vitebsk, you should begin with the Temple of the Holy Apostle Andrew First-Called. Although it belongs to modern development, nevertheless, its architectural value and significance is not less than those of the numerous churches of Vitebsk. The temple is conveniently located in residential area of the city "South-7", harmoniously complementing the overall landscape. Earlier this place was a wasteland, but with the blessing of the Lord Filaret in 2000 construction of the church was initiated by joint effort. They built by their own on the donations of citizens and with general faith, it is not surprising that the church was built in just 2 weeks. And it would not be such an outcome, without a significant contribution to the building of the Temple of the Holy Apostle Andrew First-Called by Mikhail Martinovich. Although he does not like to talk about it, because he believes it is a matter of honor and conscience - everyone in the city knows that Mikhail has put his heart into construction of the temple being at the construction site from morning until night. Only 14 days passed – and the church received its parishioners on the bright day of Easter. The Abbot became still the same Mikhail Martinovich, who recently moved to the Holy Assumption Cathedral.
Temples of Vitebsk are distinguished by their authenticity, extraordinary spirituality and hospitality, perhaps, that`s why they are so perfectly complement the surrounding landscape and serve as a sort of spiritual adornment of any location. And the Temple of the Holy Apostle Andrew First-Called is no exception: wooden building blends into the landscape of the residential area, creating a sense of security for the parishioners, cozy and warm corner among numerous high-rise buildings. Modest, but at the same time, majestic decorations of the church create an aura of solemnity and holiness, without leaving anybody indifferent. Looking once into the Temple of the Holy Apostle Andrew First-Called, you will want to come back here again.
As you can see, it is enough to wander through the many streets - and an unknown city with its own history, mysteries, secrets and human fates will appear in front of us. Indeed, the history of the city of Vitebsk lies not only in the pages of history textbooks, it is possible to read it on every building and small street. It is enough to go for a walk - and mysterious and unknown Vitebsk will appear in front of you.
Address of the Temple of the Holy Apostle Andrew First-Called – Chkalov str., 44, residential area "South-7".
The Abbot of the Temple of the Holy Apostle Andrew First-Called – Vladimir Artemenko.
Contact phones: +375 212 251081, 535675.


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Bruce Kuluris Vice President of Operations – West
Bruce oversees the operations for all NeuroRestorative programs in the West. With more than 30 years of healthcare experience, he oversees operations including financial performance, safety and program development, ensuring that all individuals served receive the highest quality of care.
Bruce previously served as vice president of operations for CareMeridian, a partner of The MENTOR Network that became part of NeuroRestorative in 2019. He has also worked as a consultant through his own company, Kuluris Rehab Services, as clinical director for a program serving catastrophically injured and ill individuals and as a physical therapist for an acute care hospital, including in ICU and sub-acute settings. Bruce serves as a Board Director for Network Angels for The Mentor Network and as a committee member on the Centers of Excellence Committee of the Neurodevelopmental Treatment Association (NDTA).
Bruce holds a master's degree in business administration from The University of Phoenix and a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from California State University at Long Beach. He is a registered physical therapist and certified in Neurodevelopmental Treatment.